The Warrior in the Shadows
by ShadowKat
Summary: Jewel never was exactly the one to fit in. She was always different and she knew it. Gaea calls out to her to help unravel a twisted string of Fate and to find Jewel's forgotten friendship with a certain someone...
1. It Begins...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Escaflowne characters or the plot line. I do own Jewel, though!  
  
  
  
Shadow Angel  
  
  
  
She lay awake in her bed. Her covers lay tangled and forgotten around her. The early morning heat of the day ahead slowly seeped into her broken window. She'd get that fixed one day. She turned and looked at the closed curtains of that window. How long would it be before she was able to leave? Maybe she could run. But that wouldn't work. Someone would find her eventually. And then she would be in the same spot she was in now. She sighed and closed her eyes. Sleep just wouldn't come today.  
  
Jewel Harken was never popular in school. She probably could've been, but she never was the kind of person who would flaunt herself in front of others. She preferred to stick to the shadows. She didn't have any friends, and her family wasn't exactly the kind you could talk to. She was a loner, and liked it that way. She was five foot five, with thin, short dark red hair, sapphire blue-gray eyes and healthy looking tan skin. She was athletic and slender with well defined curves. But despite what others thought, Jewel kept to herself and almost never talked.  
  
She wasn't understood, at school or at home. She felt like no one understood her. Even if people got close to her, she wasn't sure they would understand. She was just so. different. She wasn't like the other girls at school, she couldn't relate to them. She wasn't like her family, she wasn't like other people on this world. She was just. Jewel. She was herself. That was good enough for her. but was it good enough for others? Probably not. And that's why she kept to herself.  
  
Jewel sat outside on the porch of her home. It was a run-down shack- totally gross. And even grosser to live in. But what can you expect when your parents split up, leaving you and your brother with your son-of-a- bitch father? Definitely not the Brady Bunch. Jewel sighed and looked down at her paper. What was she supposed to be writing for English? Oh yes, an essay. How fun-exactly what she needed.  
  
Jewel pushed the paper and her notebook to the side and stared up at the starry night sky. It was so beautiful tonight. "You're the only one who understands me," she whispered to it. "You and the darkness." She shook her head. As crazy as that sounded, it was true. She could relate to darkness and the night sky. They were her friends. Her only friends in this lonely world of hers. There was a faint cry of a lone wolf in the distance. "Too bad the wolves don't hang out here. I'd like to meet a real one," she muttered to herself.  
  
The wolves seemed like the animal version of herself. Only, they were more social and hung out in packs. "Well, they know each other. They all have one mind, they think alike." Jewel sighed again and gazed up at the sky. Her hand went to the necklace that hung around her neck. She clasped the pendent on it and closed her eyes. "I want to go somewhere where I belong." She opened her eyes in time to see a golden light. And then everything went black.  
  
Jewel stood in a field full of flowers with a clear blue sky above her. She had never seen so many flowers in her life. And the smell! It was so sweet. So inspiring. Jewel felt like dancing. Everything about this field screamed happiness to her. Jewel let a small smile come to her face. This was so beautiful.  
  
A silver haired boy with garnet eyes walked through the dark field. He wore a black uniform with red armor, his hair was styled in the "late Beethoven" style and he had a long scar on the right side of his face. He was muscular and lean, and held the very essence of command. He stopped walking suddenly. Was it his eyes.? There, just ahead of him, was the most beautiful girl he had seen. She was just lying in the field, moonlight shinning down on her.  
  
"That's her. Bring her to me," a voice in his ear told him.  
  
The boy rolled his eyes and started walking to the girl again. He bent down and picked her up off the ground. She was light, lighter then he had expected. Now he got his first close up view of her. She was athletic and slender, with dark red short hair. Her hair alone reminded him of fire, his only love. His only passion. The girl's skin was a healthy looking tan and she wore clothes he had never seen before. They sort of reminded him of the dragon's bitch, Hitomi.  
  
He let out a low growl of the memory of the girl. He hated her, he hated the dragon and he hated the Mystic Moon. Suddenly the girl in his arms shifted a little. The boy looked down on her and saw she was smiling slightly. 'Why on Gaea would she be smiling?' He wondered. He turned and started walking back the way he came. Might as well get her back to the Vione before she woke up. He didn't want to deal with a woman now.  
  
An: Well, how was it? I'm doin' this kinda weird fic, not exactly sure how it's gonna go. Um, I'm hopin' it's a lot better then my other fics. Well, that's all. Review or email me with comments, suggestions, flames or whatever! I really want to hear what people think of this! -ShadowKat 


	2. Dances in the Night

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the characters of the plot line of Escaflowne. I do however own Jewel. So if you wish to use her, please let me know.  
  
  
  
Chapter two: Dances in the Night  
  
Jewel awoke with a pounding headache and a sour stomach. What happened to her? She opened her eyes wearily and looked around. She could see, with the dim light, corners of a room. She reached out her hand and felt along the wall. It was smooth and cold. Was she in some sort of metal box? But how could she breathe? There were no vents or air holes in the room. Jewel blinked and sat up. What a ride she had. She was still sore. But from what?  
  
Jewel frowned and looked at her arms. They had a thousand little shot marks in them. Her hands were wrapped in gauze and she found that her ankles, wrists and neck had thick, metal binds around them. And chains came from the walls and attached to her binds.  
  
Jewel gave a soft growl. She hated being chained. Not only did it make her feel like a wild animal harshly taken from its home, but it also made her feel like she belonged to somebody. And Jewel didn't belong to anybody.  
  
Annoyance was building in Jewel. She was in a dark box, chained to a wall. There was no one there to even ask questions, like where she was. Jewel bit her lip and decided to experiment. She stood and walked to the other side of the box. The chains screeched as she did. Jewel smirked; they were rusty. Jewel flexed her arm and pulled the chains. They screeched in protest, but didn't give away. Jewel then backed up, and ran at the wall. She hit it hard and her chains emitted an ear-piercing shriek. But again, they didn't break.  
  
Now Jewel was angry. No one may have understood her, but that didn't give them any right to chain her up. Jewel backed up again and ran at the wall. This time she ran straight into it. She fell back and gave an enraged cry. She quickly got on her feet and charged again. The chains screeched and moaned in protest to her actions, but Jewel paid them no attention. She kept running at the wall, shouting curses and giving enraged cries. Just wait, she'd show whoever chained her how it felt like to be chained.  
  
Dilandau Albatou was the Zaibach Dragon Slayer General. He worked and served Zaibach, fought for them and would die for them. He was a loyal fighter, the best in his league. They depended on him, and he depended on his Dragon Slayers. He had sent his Dragon Slayers out on many missions, beat them for ignoring orders or disobeying him. He had rewarded them when they did something right. All in all, he had been fiercely mean to him.  
  
But still the Dragon Slayers stayed with him. They were as loyal to him as he was to Zaibach. They loved him and would die for him. And that's what they did. The memories still burned in Dilandau's mind. The images of his Dragon Slayers falling one by one to the sword of Van Fanel. Dilandau had hated Van ever since he had scarred Dilandau's perfect face. And Dilandau had sworn revenge.  
  
On the day of the final battle, Dilandau wasn't able to get his revenge. Instead, Van slaughtered his troops-his Dragon Slayers. He had taken Dilandau and forced him through pain, suffering and a sentence even worse then death.  
  
Dilandau wasn't a human, not at first. He was created from a girl named Celena. Celena was taken when she was quite young. The best Zaibach scientists had come in and worked a year on turning her into Dilandau. The scientists succeeded, but they could not destroy Celena. So they trapped her in her own mind. Occasionally she would break free of her prison and become herself. As Dilandau grew, he had to deal with her.  
  
But when Van captured him, a Calei Knight named Allen Schzare asked Van to convert Dilandau back into his sister. And so the procedures began. It was horrible, the pain that coursed through Dilandau's body. The incredible, rushing, never-ending pain. And then, Celena emerged. This time Dilandau could do nothing to stop her.  
  
And then the most amazing thing happened. Dilandau and Celena-once sharing a mind-split into two separate people. Dilandau had just barely escaped alive when this happened. He had then roamed Gaea, searching for the surviving Zaibach members. But the surviving Zaibach members found him. Zaibach once again took Dilandau, and after a few tests were run, Dilandau was once again a general.  
  
"Lord Dilandau?" A feeble voice asked.  
  
Dilandau arose from his thoughts and looked at the voice's owner. It was a servant, pale with light brown hair and gray eyes. He wore the Zaibach servant uniform-black pants and a black shirt.  
  
Dilandau looked at the servant. Dilandau was a tall, pale youth with crimson red eyes and silver hair styled in the "late Beethoven" style. He wore a black uniform with red armor over it.  
  
"Well?" He asked, annoyed.  
  
"The prisoner is awake-the girl. And she's fighting her restraints. She looks rather. Angry and animal-like, sir." The servant said weakly.  
  
Dilandau grinned his devilish grin. "So the girl is a fighter, eh? What's she doing?" He asked.  
  
"She's running into the other side of her cell, falling down and giving a animal-like cry. Her chains-they're almost pulled right out of the wall."  
  
Dilandau grinned even more. "How long has she been doing this?"  
  
"About five hours now, sir."  
  
"Those chains are drilled four feet into the wall. If she can yank them out and keep running into a wall nonstop, I think we could use her."  
  
Dilandau stood and walked out of the dark room he had occupied. He would have to see this "animal" girl for himself. But one thing kept on his mind, how could she do it?  
  
Jewel threw herself at the wall a last time. This time there was not only a thud but also a loud screech. Jewel smiled to herself and picked herself up off the ground. She stared down at her chains. They were still attached to her, but they were no longer attached to the wall.  
  
'This should be easy enough,' Jewel thought. She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a small pocketknife. She tested the blade by running her thumb lightly across it. The blade split her thumb open. Jewel grinned evilly and licked the blood from her thumb. She loved the taste of blood-the metallic and salty taste all swirled into one.  
  
Jewel then easily sliced through the chains. The blade cut right through them like butter through bread. She made sure to cut the chains right where they connected with her binds. Once that was done, Jewel kicked the chains to the side of the room. She then began to slide her hand over the smooth surface of the walls.  
  
Her inspection soon found that there was no air holes, no exit or entrance or even a single crack anywhere in the room. It was like it was cast from pure iron, like she was trapped inside a blown piece of metal. Jewel shivered slightly. That wasn't a happy thought-she hated being trapped. She would have to wait until something showed itself to her.  
  
Jewel slunk over to a corner of her box and crouched in it. She sat there and remained perfectly quiet. She didn't have to wait very long.  
  
A small space in the box, to her left, disappeared. There was a rectangular light left in its place, and footsteps could be heard coming towards her. Jewel silently prepared herself to attack.  
  
Then he walked in. He as in a tall, muscular guy with crimson red eyes and silver hair styled in a "late Beethoven" look. He wore a black uniform and red armor over it. His stance screamed obedience and his very essence screamed killer. His eyes scanned the room, but he never left the doorway.  
  
Jewel remained still. She had to wait. Then the guy-maybe a year older then her-entered the box completely. The rectangular doorway behind him was replaced with the original piece of the box.  
  
Jewel didn't even let her eyes adjust to the dark-mostly because they already were. She quietly and stealthy left her spot and made her way towards him. Then she pounced. Her actions were graceful and smooth. She landed on top of the guy's chest-forcing him to the ground.  
  
Before the guy could even blink, Jewel had gotten off him and pushed him towards the chains. He rolled towards them, and Jewel followed at a faster pace. She leapt over his still rolling body, grabbed one of the chains and turned around. The guy's body came to a halt just in front of her.  
  
Wasting no time, Jewel leapt on him again and tied him hands and feet with the chain. Then she roughly put him up against the wall. She waited until he recovered from the ride before talking to him.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked.  
  
"Who the hell are you?!" The guy yelled.  
  
"Tell me now, or else I'll have to do something I'll regret." Jewel threatened.  
  
There was a pause. "General Dilandau Albatou of Zaibach." He replied.  
  
"Jewel. Were you the one who chained me up?" Jewel said.  
  
"Only under orders. You were fighting in your sleep. We thought that you might hurt yourself or others. And we also chained you because you looked strong. Since we didn't know who you were or if you posed a threat to us, it seemed logical."  
  
Jewel gave a low growl. "I want out of here. I want to know where the hell I am, who is Zaibach and I also want all my other questions answered. If you don't answer them, I will have to kill. And I am capable of that."  
  
"Fine. Untie me and I'll get you out of here."  
  
Jewel carefully untied Dilandau. She didn't feel as though she could trust him, so she took some of the chain with her. Dilandau stood and made his way to the side of the box where he had come in. Jewel followed hot on his heels. He pressed him hand against the metal, and again part of the box disappeared. Dilandau walked into the light and Jewel followed. 


	3. Questions and Answers

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, so if you wish to use her, please ask me!!!  
  
Chapter Three: Questions and Answers  
  
Dilandau led Jewel through a labyrinth lit by touches mounted on the walls. The flames gave off very little light and also gave the labyrinth an eerie feeling. Dull, dark gray stones with occasional dark rust colored stains made up the floor, celing and walls. The sights might not have been very good, but the temperature in the halls was absolutely freezing. If you didn't have the right clothing on, you could've easily died of frostbite in the halls.  
  
But Jewel didn't take any notice of the temperature, and barely even noticed the sights. She knew-in some part of her mind-that when the time came she would remember absolutely everything that she needed. She had remembered things from long ago when she needed them, and even then she fought she wouldn't need the information.  
  
As Jewel and Dilandau walked, their footsteps echoed eerily along the halls. Jewel could feel the skin rise in the back of her neck. She could feel goose bumps forming on her skin. She could almost feel the blood rushing through her veins slowing down, coming to almost a complete halt. But she wasn't worried about dying in a labyrinth, with questions unanswered.  
  
She was more worried about her life, and what she would do. Her mind scurried and scampered, figuring out things before they would happen. If Dilandau was taking her to his leader, or king, then she would either get her questions answered or be killed on the spot.  
  
But if she played her cards right, she just might be able to stay with this Zaibach place. At least then she would have better shelter and food then out in the wild, in a place she didn't even know. The reasonable part of Jewel's brain said that she was still on Earth, probably in some wacko military base in Russia or some other deserted land.  
  
And the other part of Jewel's brain-the one she listened to most often- told her that she wasn't on Earth anymore, and that she better stick to the plan that was already formed. Suddenly they came to a halt. Jewel looked up and saw that there was a big, solid oak door in front of them. Dilandau pushed the door open and strode in as if this was something he did everyday.  
  
Jewel hovered just outside the open door. She didn't like what she was feeling just then. Total mistrust and caution. Jewel almost never felt caution on a conscious level. And that's what made her became very, very weary at that second.  
  
After a few seconds outside, Jewel followed Dilandau into the room. Inside was the same décor, dark gray stone walls, celing and floor. The room itself contained one solid wood desk, a wood chair and three bookshelves crammed full of books. The books Jewel avoided, they were colorful and were in every size. From books that would've fitted in the palm of your hand to books as big as your whole arm. And they all had titles in an unfamiliar language.  
  
Suddenly the reasonable part of Jewel's brain kicked in. Must be Russian or Chinese, some language like that, it said. Yeah right. Jewel forced back that part of her brain and approached the desk where a dark figure sat. She couldn't see it's face, but she knew by the silhouette that it was a muscular man.  
  
"Ah Dilandau, I see you brought me your prison. No doubt she wanted answers," he said. His voice was deep and held a note of power in it.  
  
"Yes. And hurry it up with the answers, I don't want to take all day with it. Oh, and keep it simple, I don't think her puny little brain can take more then five letter sentences." Dilandau sneered.  
  
"I'll fend for myself, thank you very much. Now, I want to know where I am." Jewel said without emotion. If she didn't show them any emotion, she knew they wouldn't be able to tell what she was feeling.  
  
"You are on a planet that the almighty god, Zeus, created over ten thousand years ago. He created this planet for the gods, who were dying on Earth, to come and live in peace. All the gods did, and of course they mated. But the children weren't other gods, they were born with the essence of this new planet in them. Soon they grew and split, matting with others and creating all kinds of people.  
  
"The gods soon died out and left the people with the little knowledge of the Old World-as they so kindly called the Mystic Moon. And as all people do, they adapted and changed. But enough of history. To answer your question, you're on a planet called Gaea, the exact double of Earth that is hidden behind the moon by a magical field put there by the late gods." The man replied.  
  
"I assume you are a powerful. Force, considering your fancy cells and the gadgets I saw hidden as I walked here. Then tell me why I was called to Gaea, if I was called at all." Jewel asked. Dilandau had become quiet, and amused look on his face.  
  
"You are right, we are very powerful. But we do not have enough men to take over Gaea, like the previous master tried. But we will succeed. And why you were called here, you weren't. We've had a girl from the Mystic Moon come here before, so you are the second one to arrive. But to why you came, I'm not sure."  
  
"But you know something about me, that is why you took me instead of leaving me to fend for myself, correct?"  
  
"Yes, smart you are. We've seen your power, Jewel. We've seen your skill, and we want to have that power. But to do that, we need your assistance. And I'm afraid you won't give us that, we'll have to convert to plan B."  
  
Jewel didn't like the sound of the man's tone. The other part of her brain-along with the reasonable part-screamed that this was a trap. But she couldn't get out, not unless she wanted to die. But it was worth it.  
  
Jewel whirled around and ran for the door. She was fast, that she knew. She had just reached the handle of the door when a blinding pain came from her shoulder. Her vision instantly blacked out and her muscles relaxed. She fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"Very good shot, Dilandau. Take her to the infirmary, I'll deal with her later." The man said. Dilandau nodded and walked up to Jewel. He picked her up roughly and carried her out of the room, a smirk on his face.  
  
  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC..  
  
AN: Ok, so how was the chap??? Was it good?? Please review, I need to know if people like this new style of writing I'm trying out!!! Oh yeah, thanks to Chichirui, CrimsonFire and Daughter of Chaos for helping me out so much!!!! Check out Chichirui's "Dark Wings/White Angel" and CrimsonFire's "To Gaea Again." stories!!! They're both really good, both the authors and the stories!!!!! Review, and I'll get the next chap out sooner!!! -ShadowKat 


	4. Can't Even Run, Can't Even Cry

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters or the plot line in Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, so if you wish to use her, please let me know.  
  
Chapter Four: Can't Even Run, Can't Even Cry  
  
Jewel slowly opened her eyes. Light blared into them, sending jolts of pain into her brain. She blinked a couple of times, clearing the fog in her brain. But it remained, so she tried to shake it out. That didn't work either, so she resolved to just closing her eyes.  
  
Jewel laid there, in blackness. Then the panic hit. Where was she? She couldn't remember. Who was she? A girl, she knew that much. But her name was a total blank. She couldn't remember her family, what she liked to do, what her favorite color was, what her personality was like or even if she had any friends.  
  
Her hands became clammy and her heart started to race. But even though the physical signs of panic shown, Jewel found that mentally she wasn't disturbed. 'How odd. Maybe I was like some spy or something. but what happened?' She wondered.  
  
She opened her eyes and sat up. The light that had almost blinded her before wasn't there anymore. She was in a small, white room with padded walls and celing. The floor was white, apparently made of some white stone. She was lying on a metal slab raised off the floor by three feet. There was nothing else in the room.  
  
Jewel stood and looked around the room. There, to her right was a white padded door. She carefully walked over to it. She was surprised that her footsteps were quick and light, like a cat's. The door had a small mirror in it, which was odd. Jewel studied the door, her eyes darting over every inch. There was a silver metal handle on it, like any door would have.  
  
But when she tried to pull it open, the door wouldn't budge. Then she tried pushing. That didn't help either. In frustration, Jewel shook the handle hard. That had no avail.  
  
Suddenly an animal like growl escaped Jewel's throat and to her lips. Surprised, Jewel stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty, healthy tan skin, thin, short, dark red hair and sapphire blue-gray eyes. Nothing about her looks even gave a hint of animal. She looked normal, at least as normal as she thought.  
  
Even more confused now, Jewel backed away from the mirror and sat cross-legged on the metal slab. It was cold against her hot skin, but she didn't mind. But the coldness had awoken something in her brain. Whispering began to sound, all around her.  
  
At first she ignored it, thinking it was the hum of something. But slowly-hour by hour-the whispering got louder. So loud that the fog in Jewel's brain swirled and pushed against her brain. Jewel's eyes rang form the sound and her brain pounded from the fog. What was going on? The whispering, what was it?!  
  
Hysterical, Jewel jumped up from her spot and ran to the door. She began to pound on it. Animal-like screams emerged from her throat, adding to her panic. What was she?! What was going on?! Jewel screamed and pounded on the door, every second her screams getting louder and her pounding hard. But no one would come.  
  
Out of chance, Jewel caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She gasped and backed away from the door fast. The mirror, it had to be a trick! There was no way she was. was. that thing she saw! She couldn't be!  
  
She wanted to break down and cry. This was all so absurd! She couldn't remember who she was, but she knew she was something horrible! How could she live, how did she live?! What was she?!  
  
She wanted to turn and run straight through the wall and never come back. She wanted to run from that reflection. She wanted to run from the memory. She wanted to run and cry. But something was holding her back, not letting the tears come to her eyes and overflow. Something was making her stand her  
  
ground.  
  
Jewel collapsed to the ground, hitting her head in the process. Pain swam through her brain at Mock 3, and blackness began swiftly clouding her vision. She couldn't' stand this! She hated this! She wanted answers! But she didn't get any answers, and the last thing she saw was those golden yellow eyes staring back at her.  
  
  
  
Jewel's eyes fluttered open and she gave a low, animal like whimper. The pain in her head wasn't as bad as before, but it still hurt. She propped herself up on her elbows. She wasn't surprised to find herself in the same room. Only this time there was someone else with her.  
  
He was tall, with silver hair styled in a "late Beethoven" style, crimson red eyes and a long scar on his left (Jewel's left) cheek. He wore a black uniform with red armor over it. He held an air of superiority around him. His eyes held rage, hate and loathing in them, all directed at Jewel. But he seemed so familiar.  
  
"Who are you?" The question came out as a growl from Jewel's throat.  
  
The man glared at her. "You don't remember?" Fake concern.  
  
"No. I don't." Jewel was still growling.  
  
"I'm Dilandau Albatou, General of Zaibach. Do you know who you are?"  
  
"No. Who am I?"  
  
"You are Jewel. You are a warrior for Zaibach; some might even go as far as to call you an assassin. You were on a mission to kill the Fanellian king when you were ambushed. We found you a week later. You had lost a lot of blood, and you were barely alive. We took you back and you've been out cold for two weeks now. Don't you remember anything?" A sneer. He didn't like this.  
  
Jewel thought. Her head hurt, but the fog seemed less now. Don't listen to him, part of her said. He's lying. 'Funny, I don't remember that voice in my head. In fact, I don't remember that voice at all,' she thought. She looked Dilandau over carefully. He did seem familiar, in a way.  
  
"No, I don't. Maybe your could-" Jewel said.  
  
Dilandau strode forward and put something cold and hard on Jewel's upper arm. Jewel's eyes widened as pain shot from the device up her arm and throughout her body. Her eyes rolled back and she fell, limp, backwards. Dilandau grabbed her and laid her carefully down.  
  
"Stupid. This better work, or else we'll have a problem. Should trust devices over humans," Dilandau growled. He looked at Jewel carefully. She looked the same, but she had lost the air of control and strength she had earlier.  
  
"Too bad. I would've liked to play with her a little," he muttered. Then he left the room, slamming the door behind him.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC.. 


	5. Flicker of Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, so if you wish to sue her, please let me know!  
  
Chapter Five: Flicker of Memories  
  
Jewel awoke in pain. Her head felt like splitting open, her skin burned and there was an unusual pain behind her eyes. Then it hit her like a spear. She didn't remember anything. Not who she was, what she liked, what she looked like, where she lived, where she was. nothing. It was all blank.  
  
"Wha. What happened? Who am I?" She asked aloud. She received no answer. Jewel looked around the place she was in. She was in a small, white room with padded walls and celing. The floor was white, apparently made of some white stone. She was lying on a metal slab raised off the floor by three feet. To her right was a white padded door. The door had a small mirror in it. Jewel studied the door, her eyes darting over every inch. There was a silver metal handle on it.  
  
This confused her even more. Where exactly was she? She sat up and looked down. She was wearing a plain white, long gown. She had nothing on her feet-they were bare. She found that they were small and tan. That interested her. She looked at her bare arms. They were also a tan color. They also were thin and long-her fingers long and graceful.  
  
Slowly Jewel explored her body. She was slim-her legs were slim and muscular, like her arms. She had a neck that held veins and short, dark red hair. Her face was that of a mystery to her since she could only feel it and not see it. But she knew she had high cheekbones, lips, an dainty nose and high arched eyebrows. She knew she had ears and a tongue, she knew she could speak. But all of these didn't bring back her memory.  
  
Jewel sighed and let her hands from her face. They brushed against something hard and cold around her neck. Startled, Jewel looked down. There was a metal chain around her neck with a small, smooth piece of metal at the end. The thing looked like it had something written on it. Why hadn't she seen this before?  
  
Jewel took the metal tag and looked at it thoughtfully. It was smooth and cold on one side, but it had engraved writing on the other. Jewel stared at the engravement, reading it over and over again.  
  
"Jewel Harper, age nineteen. Born, White 4th moon," she read out loud. "Is that my name? Jewel?" Confused, Jewel looked around the room again. It was blank. so devoid of emotion. Was it supposed to look like that?  
  
Was she supposed to be in this room? Was she supposed to be here? Was she supposed to know who she was? Where was she? Was she in danger? Questions flooded her mind, sending her into a state of panic.  
  
She held the tag in her right hand and stated gently rocking back and forth. Her eyes-now wide with fear-darted around the room. The whole room seemed so unfamiliar and hostile. It scared her even more. Suddenly a movement to the right caught her eye. She focused and saw the door opening, fast.  
  
Who was coming in? Were they a threat? Did they want her hurt? Were they friend? Questions plagued her mind even more. She couldn't answer all of them! How was she supposed to know the answers?  
  
Just then a person entered the room. Jewel's eyes focused on the open door. Maybe she could run out of the room. But then man shut the door behind him and Jewel's hopes died. Then she noticed the man. He was tall and wore a black cloak that covered all of him. His hood came over his face, shielding it from view. He looked scary, frightening.  
  
Jewel shrunk back in fear. Who was this man?  
  
"Hello. I'm not going to hurt you," he said. His voice seemed trustworthy, full of concern for her. Jewel shrunk back further.  
  
"I'm here to help you. We found you in a forest, knocked out. You had many cuts on your body, so we took you in and healed you. How do you feel?" He asked, concerned.  
  
Something in Jewel urged her to reply. "I. I don't know." she whispered fearfully.  
  
"No need to be afraid of me, miss. I'm here to help you. You can trust me. Now, do you know your name?"  
  
"N. No."  
  
"Do you remember anything?"  
  
Jewel shook her head. "This tag says my name is Jewel Harper. And that I'm nineteen. And that I was born on White, fourth moon."  
  
"Really? May I see the tag, Jewel?" The man walked slowly and carefully towards Jewel, hand outstretched. He reached her and looked down on her.  
  
Jewel looked at the hand. It was black, but that couldn't be his skin, could it? No, it wasn't. Her skin was different, she could she the ridges on hers. This was smooth, no ridges. Maybe it was fabric?  
  
"Yes," she whispered. She took off the necklace from her neck and handed it to the man. The man took it and studied it.  
  
"Well, I guess you were wearing this when we found you. You name is Jewel, I guess. So that's what we'll call you. Would you like to recover your memory, Jewel?" The man asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok. I'll go and get some colleagues of mine and I'll be back later. Until then, just rest, ok?"  
  
Jewel nodded and watched as the man set the necklace down on the metal slab and walked back towards the door. He opened it but just before he left he turned around.  
  
"Don't worry, Jewel. You're in good hands. You can bet your life on that. And I will find out who you are." And then the man was gone.  
  
***  
  
When the man returned hours later, Jewel wasn't so sure she likes his colleagues. They were also dressed in cloaks, only theirs were brown. And like the man they had their hoods up also. But unlike the man, they weren't gentle with her.  
  
At first they entered the room swiftly and pinned her down. Jewel tried to fight, but it was five against one. The odds were against her. They pinned her and two of them drew needles, which were promptly pushed into her skin. Pain rushed through Jewel and she began to scream.  
  
Her screams were animal like and unearthly. They echoed around the room, making the screams seem like they continued for eternity. Her eyes grew wide as more needles were jabbed into her.  
  
Still Jewel continued to fight them. But the men were stronger then her, and she was loosing a battle. Her instincts screamed at her, but what they were screaming Jewel couldn't tell. She could only tell pain and fear apart, anything else was lost.  
  
She didn't know how long the torture lasted. She didn't even notice the men pack up and leave the room. She just lay there on her "bed", in a painful daze. Staring up at the blank celing for hours and hours. She couldn't move, she couldn't think. She felt helpless. Then she realized that,-in some part of her brain-for once, the feeling of being helpless seemed familiar. But how she couldn't figure out.  
  
Slowly, as the hours slowly crawled by, things began to make sense to Jewel. Her name was Jewel Harper and she was a warrior for Zaibach. She had been rescued from a raped village when she was only one. She had been trained ever since then, working long days and training hard. She remembered how it first felt to hold a sword, a mighty weapon that she would someday master. She remembered how her teacher had been hard on her, but never over looked her own needs.  
  
She remember when turning thirteen, she was given her first mission. She knew how excited she was, and how her first kill felt. It felt like glory. She remembered working even harder, training for more hours, becoming the best in Zaibach. Slowly she made her way up the ranks, until she was finally admitted into the Zaibach Dragon Slayers, the elite team in all of Zaibach.  
  
She remembered the friends she had made, the fights that had been fought. The deaths that she had mourned. She was Jewel Harper, soldier of Zaibach and trained assassin. She was the best of the best.  
  
But in some part of Jewel's brain, something didn't click. The man had said she was injured and they found her. they took her into their care. they asked her name, acted like they didn't know her. But, if she was a soldier in Zaibach, how could they not know her?  
  
Jewel fell into a painful sleep with that in her mind. And as she dreamed, memories began to sprout. Memories that Jewel didn't want to have.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC..  
  
AN: Ok, so how was it?!?! Was it good? Please review!!! Oh yes, the next chap you will get to see Jewel's dreams. But why doesn't she want to have them?! Could her real past be coming back?! And what about the strange men?! What is going on!?! Review and I'll get the next chapter out faster!!!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	6. Sweet Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Escaflowne characters or the plot. I do own Jewel, and if you wish to use her then please let me know!  
  
Chapter Six: Sweet Dreams  
  
Jewel stood in the dark training room waiting for her teacher. She was only ten, but her skill was that of a Zaibach soldier. She often wondered why she was being trained in the manner she was. She would watch others her age train; watching as they made any mistake they were severely punished. She wondered why she was not in those sessions, working with children her own age. And why she was not taught like that.  
  
Jewel also noticed, with disgust, that the soldiers were first trained in the way of killing. She, on the other hand, was taught defense first. As she watched them she realized that there was so much more difference between them then she had first thought.  
  
Trained differently, taught different ways of looking at the world, different futures. the list went on and on. But one thing that bothered her more then anything was they thought differently. She could look at an opponent and see their soul. She could then use that information as a weapon against them. Others would look at an opponent and just see someone challenging them.  
  
"You should think like that, Jewel. You are young and naive, thinking that you are superior to them is not good for your training," a deep voice said.  
  
Jewel bowed her head. "I am sorry, Sensai. I can't help but think it. I see things other do not."  
  
"Yes, as you've already proved. But if you keep thinking that you are better then others, your way of seeing things will disappear. Keep your mind clean and pure, Jewel."  
  
Jewel didn't know, but those were words that she would live by.  
  
***  
  
Jewel looked around the dark forest, searching for the lost trail. She was thirteen and her first mission had come. She needed to kill the adviser of the Fanellian king. Easy enough, she had thought. But what Zaibach hadn't told her was that this adviser was trained in the arts of hunting.  
  
He could hide his trail as well as any animal of the forest. And he could easily kill her. That's what bothered Jewel, she could die easily. She could die as easily as an untrained soldier fighting in a war. But she wasn't an untrained soldier; she was the best trained soldier Zaibach had ever had. And she wasn't going to fail this mission.  
  
Jewel bent down to the ground and listened. Deer grazed near by, a mouse came out of its hole, a squirrel looked for food and a bird looked for worms. No sign of the adviser. That bothered her even more.  
  
She had been hunting him for hours, but he had long ago disappeared. Like he was swallowed by a dragon. Jewel hit the ground in frustration. She was failing!  
  
Suddenly there was the snap of a bow string being released. Jewel didn't have any time to think. She jumped to the side right before an arrow embedded itself in the ground where she was. She whirled around and searched the ground. There wasn't an archer there. None in the trees either.  
  
A rare smile appeared on Jewel's face. She always had a grim expression on, but when a smile did light up her face it meant she was going to do something unexpected. Another snap of the bowstring an another arrow hurtled its way towards her. Jewel jumped out of the way again. But somethin unexpected happened.  
  
Just as Jewel started to move, another arrow was shot. This one was much faster. It embedded itself in her back, just barely missing her spine but penetrating her heart. She froze in mid-air, pain washing over her. She blinked once and instantly her heart stopped beating. There was no way to save her now. Jewel fell to the ground and lay there, her own blood creeping out of her wound and forming into a puddle of blood around her.  
  
She had failed. She had failed and now she was dead. Shame, fear, anger, hate, sadness all washed over her. Even regret showed its face. Jewel felt tears stinging the back of her eyes. No! She wouldn't die crying! Crying was a sign of weakness! And she was nothing but weak!  
  
Her vision went black and her eyes began to close. She was dead, passing from this world into the next. Nothing was left, nothing could save her. Her eyes shut and her breath stopped coming. But still, even though she was dead, a single tear escaped and slid silently down her face.  
  
And hen the most amazing thing happened. Jewel couldn't remember, but she knew, in some way, that she was floating in darkness. And then a white light shot down and captured her. The light was warm, and she was cold. It slowly lifted her up, out of the darkness, warming her as it carried her.  
  
***  
  
Jewel awoke in a sweat. She looked frantically around her room. There was her pink walls, her pink bedspread, her Barbie clock on her bedside table, her desk, her backpack, her toy chest, she closet. Everything that she knew was here. "Nothing to be afraid of," she whispered to herself.  
  
But the dream had done more then scare her. It had shaken her to her very being, her very soul. She had been having those images, training with a sword, watching others train, thoughts of how stupid things were, fighting people, getting flashes of them. Feelings flooded her. Hate, rage, anger, shame, fear, sadness, regret. What was happening to her?  
  
What was this planet that she went to in dreams? Was it real? Was she real? Was she really on that planet? Who was she? What were these images? Memories, dreams? Ideas? A story that she had long ago read and was just remembering it in her sleep?  
  
Questions too hard for a six year-old Jewel to comprehend or to even solve flooded her mind. She had never thought like this! What was this? She knew that she was Jewel, she lived with her family in a nice house with nice neighbors. She went to a nice school and had many friends. She was a sweet girl that everyone liked and loved.  
  
But who was this other girl that looked like her, had her same name, but acted so differently? Who was she? Jewel hit the bed in anger. She didn't like thinking like this! She wanted to go back to her own way of thinking! She wasn't supposed to have these thoughts, was she?  
  
Confused and angered, Jewel laid back down in her bed. She promptly feel asleep, but it was a troubled dream. Dreams about loosing herself plagued her mind, and she could do nothing to stop it.  
  
***  
  
TBC..  
  
AN: Sorry guys, I have to leave the final part out of this. why? Cuz this will all make sense if I put it in with the beginning of the seventh chapter. Think of it as. as a cliffhanger. Thanks to all who have reviewed, and a VERY SPECIAL HAPPY BIRHTDAY TO CRIMSONFIRE!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!! 


	7. Home

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of the plot line for Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, so if you wish to use her, please let me know!  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven: Home  
  
(Still in dream mode)  
  
Jewel smiled grimly at the people who she happened to pass. First day of high school, and already she was messing up. First she had walked into the building wearing black commando boots, dark blue jeans, a black tank top and a dark hunter green vest. Her short red hair fell around her face, framing it. And her sea blue eyes were clear, excited.  
  
Everyone in the school was either wearing light colored things or baggy stuff. The wrong clothes on the first day of school didn't bother her at all. She liked being different. When she had tried to open her locker, she found that it was already taken, and that she would have to share with the top jock in the whole school. She didn't mind that, except that the whole locker space was taken up with pictures of girls, sport equipment and other random things. She had to store her stuff at the very bottom.  
  
Jewel sighed as she walked up to her homeroom. The school wasn't hard to get lost in, just that her classes confused her. She had the regulars- math, science, English, geology-but also she had PE, biology, Trig, and a lot of other forms of basic classes. She walked in and chose a seat in the very back. She set down her backpack and looked around her room.  
  
There wasn't anything special about it. So Jewel resorted to staring out the windows. As she stared, her mind drifted off. She had had her dream again, the one where memories of another life came to her. She hated those dreams; she had been having them ever since she was six. She had gone to a doctor, a psychologist, everyone who was trained in areas of the brain. Nothing was wrong with her; she was in perfect health. But still the dreams came, and every time Jewel woke from one she was disoriented.  
  
She would go around or a week at the longest, thinking she was on the planet that she dreamed about. She would talk in a different tongue, a tongue no man knew. She would pick up a knife and be able to hit a bulls- eye from fifty feet. But then the dreams that were so vivid in her mind would fade away, and she would return to her normal self. Even thought she had been having these dreams for eight years, it still bothered Jewel. And every time she had one, she would lose more and more of herself.  
  
She felt like she was a puzzle, once she was a whole but now pieces of the puzzle were breaking off and getting lost. It unnerved her to think that if the dreams continued she wouldn't' know who she was anymore. Who knew, she'd probably end up in a mental hospital.  
  
She sighed against and put her head in her hands. She closed her eyes. In her head she could see the planer that she dreamed off. Right on the other side of the moon, never moving from its hiding place. She could see its beautiful forests and fields, the wonderful palaces and countries, each and every animal, hybrid and man.  
  
Suddenly fire flashed through her mind. Fire, fire that burned through the fields, destroyed the forests and killed the towns. The planet. the planet was burning! It was on fire! And there was nothing she could do to stop it. Grief and despair washed through Jewel. She felt her energy fading fast; she could feel weakness washing over her.  
  
"NO! GAEA!"  
  
Jewel opened her eyes as she fell from her desk. She hit the ground hard, and hit her head on the leg of another desk. Pain, grief, and despair all washed through her. Struggling, Jewel pushed herself to her feet and grabbed her backpack. She opened it and frantically searched through it. Voices, people were coming towards her, she could feel them. No! She couldn't' let them get her!  
  
Suddenly her hand closed around the object she sought. She pulled it from her backpack and whirled around. She looked at the dagger in her hand. In her mind she could feel the shadows reaching for her. They were going to get her!  
  
"STAY AWAY! GAEA!" She screamed. But the words didn't come out in normal tongue. It came out in another language, one unknown to anyone. The dark shadows touched her skin, making her insides turn cold. Before anything else happened, Jewel brought the dagger down on her hand. Pain washed through her and her eyes opened.  
  
Jewel was pulled from the floor of her homeroom. "You okay?" A male voice asked from above her. Jewel blinked. What just happened? Where was she?  
  
"What happened?" She asked.  
  
"You just fell from your desk. You hit your head pretty hard on the desk next to you. Then you just lay there on the ground, screaming something in another language."  
  
"Oh, sorry." Jewel pushed herself out of the man's arms and stood up. Blood trickled into her eye. She wiped it away and took her backpack. She left the room fast, without another word. She walked into the girl's bathroom. It was empty, since classes were about to start.  
  
Jewel walked up to the sink and dropped her backpack. She ran cold water from the tap and stuck her hand under it. It was freezing cold. Jewel splashed some on her head, where the cut was. She turned off the water and looked at her reflection in the mirror.  
  
Suddenly it hit her. It was like she was gazing at herself through other's eyes. She was different; something was off about her. She looked like any normal girl, with a different style of clothing. But, there was like a dark cloud hanging around her. Not one that depressed people had, more like an evil cloud.  
  
"You are different. You don't belong in this world. Jewel, come back to us. come back to Gaea, Jewel. It's where you belong.  
  
"Jewel, you posses a great power. Others sense it, but don't understand it. You are so much more different then the humans on this planet. You are so much more greater then them. Show them how powerful you are. Show them the real you, not some façade you put on!"  
  
Jewel blinked. Did she really just hear that voice? Suddenly, something inside of her snapped. Pieces of a puzzle that had once been her began to snap back into place. She knew why she wasn't popular, why most people hated her. She knew why she was disliked, shunned. It all made complete sense now. And she also knew, that now, she couldn't go back to being her normal, perky self. She had changed without knowing it, and it was time that she accepted her true self.  
  
~END DREAM~  
  
  
  
Jewel sat up with a very foggy mind. Hadn't she been dreaming? She frowned and blinked a couple times. If she had been, she didn't remember any of it. And she was still sore from the men. What had they done to her?  
  
She searched her memories. Who was she again? And what had the men done to her? As she remembered, everything came into place. She was a soldier of Zaibach, a trusted and the best soldier they had. She was respected, and even feared, by all. She was powerful.  
  
The Fanellian king had injured her. She had been found by a Zaibach man and taken back. She was healed, and now that she was recovered she could begin training again. Jewel smiled a little bit. She was strong now, and now she could finally become a Dragon Slayer, just like Lord Folken had said before she left for her mission.  
  
Suddenly a tall man wearing a long black cloak-with the hood up, hiding his face-entered the room. Jewel jumped to her feet and bowed before the man. "Lord Folken," she said respectfully.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Lord Folken has, sadly, left us. I am Lord Argon, the new Strategose." A deep voice replied. Jewel lifted her eyes and looked at the man. He removed his hood, revealing a black man with a scar running down the left part of his face. It went over his eye, but both dark eyes stared at her with such intelligence and power that it gave Jewel the shivers. He had a bold nose, and a strong chin. The very signs of someone who was meant to led.  
  
Jewel bowed to the man again. "My apologies, Lord Argon. I was mistaken. I vow to serve by you, just as I did for the late Lord Folken."  
  
"As I expected. Now, soldier, you are recuperated, are you not?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Then I want you training again. You'll be escorted to your new room in a couple of hours. Until then, there is your change of clothes. I will see you later, soldier."  
  
And with that Lord Argon left. Jewel stared at his retreating back until the door was closed quietly behind him. It was funny, he reminded her so much of Folken. Maybe that's why he was the Strategose, he was like Folken.  
  
Jewel sighed and sat back down on the cool metal slab. This was a change; Folken was dead. But how did that happen? How long had she been out? Jewel looked up with knowing eyes, and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She could see her reflection perfectly. "Or, how long was I out?" She asked it.  
  
***  
  
A couple of hours later a short boy with blonde hair and surprisingly vibrant blue eyes came in to Jewel's room. Jewel, already changed, was waiting for him. She wore black commander boots, black mildly baggy pants, a black tank top and a black choker. The boy, on the other hand, wore black boots, khaki pants, a black top with a dark blue vest. He smiled at her.  
  
"Jewel, I suppose," he said with a mild accent.  
  
"Yes. Are you to take me to my room?" Jewel asked curiously.  
  
"Yes. Please follow me."  
  
Jewel stood up and followed the boy out of the room. She fingered her dog tag as she walked behind him. The corridors were dark and narrow, lighted only by torchlight. The black floor and walls didn't surprise Jewel-she was used to it. It looked exactly like the Vione where she had stayed before she was sent on her mission.  
  
They walked down a labyrinth of corridors before finally the came upon a door. The boy punched in a code in the pad to the left. The door opened with a soft swish. Jewel smiled and entered the room. The doors closed behind her.  
  
She looked around the room. It was spacious, with a big window to the left. She had a couple of bookcases, a couple of chairs, a wooden desk, a double canopy bed, a closet, a bathroom, a cabinet, a dresser and finally a trunk. It was exactly like her old room.  
  
Jewel's eyes glittered with excitement as she twirled around the room. She stopped at the window and flung it open. She breathed in the cool, crisp evening air with wonder. How long had she been asleep exactly? Her eyes scanned the outside. She was on something that looked like a black, floating castle. She smiled even more. She was home, back at the Zaibach headquarters.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC...  
  
AN: Ok, so how'd you like it??? Review please!!! And thanks to all who have reviewed, you really help me write faster!!! Thanks to Chichirui, CrimsonFire, ElvenChild and TigerWolf, all who have been with me ever since I first started here! You guys really help me, and it really means a lot to me when you review!! Thanks!!!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	8. Meeting the Dream Team

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters of the Escaflowne series. I also, do not own the plot line. But I do own Jewel, and if you wish to use her, please let me know.  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight: Meeting the Dream Team  
  
Jewel trained for six days before reporting back to the Strategose. She didn't feel comfortable calling him his name, so she called him Strategose; like the others. She entered Folken's old study and found that it had been redecorated majorly.  
  
Instead of the old wooden desk and big plushy chair that was usually behind it, there was a cold steel desk and an old wooden chair. Instead of the little study to the side, with a couch and two comfy chairs, there was a metal coffee table and an odd old wooden stand with a dark blue piece of cloth covering the thing on the stand. The bookshelves were still there, only now they didn't home the old beaten up books that were once Folken's. Instead, they held new books, books about subjects Jewel hadn't even heard of.  
  
A sudden pain in her head made Jewel's vision fade a little. She blinked rapidly and put a hand to her temple, gently rubbing it. A second later the pain disappeared and Jewel's vision cleared. Only to see that the room was empty. She gave a disappointed sigh and walked calmly out of the room.  
  
Jewel walked down the empty corridors of the Zaibach Headquarters, known to its inhabitants as Omega. She was glad that the Strategose hadn't been in his office, she hated talking to him alone. He just stared at her with an odd expression in his eyes that Jewel could not quiet place. When he talked to her in was in a low, dull whisper. And Jewel knew that he watched her like a c at would watch a mouse.  
  
This bothered her. Folken had never looked or spoken to her like that, had he? No, he hadn't. He was always kind and understanding with her. Respectful too. He had never watched her like a cat, not that Jewel knew of.  
  
Suddenly Jewel realized for the first time that she missed Folken, more then she had thought. His departure while she was unconscious had come as a shock to her, but now the mourning process had begun. And strangely enough, even though Jewel couldn't ever remember losing someone, she knew how things would go. She knew what it was like to lose someone and mourn for them.  
  
But how could that be? She hadn't lost someone, had she? She frowned as she searched her memory. No, she hadn't. But why did she know about mourning, and knowing how it felt? If she hadn't lost someone close, then she wouldn't know how mourning went.  
  
Jewel shook her head and put a hand to her forehead. Lately she had been having sudden spasms of pain in her head. Of course they would disappear after a few minutes, but every time they brought more confusion to Jewel. She would know things she knew she hadn't known before. Things that sometimes she was grateful for knowing, and sometimes things she didn't ever want to know.  
  
Boots clicking against the hard stone floor made Jewel snap out of her thoughts. Without thinking, she crouched into the shadows and waited. The boots kept clicking her way, making sure that everyone around knew their presence. Jewel crouched lower, ready to pounce. Click, click, click. Suddenly the boots were in her view. They were shinny, newly polished black leather boots. Big boots, telling Jewel that they were a man's.  
  
Jewel blinked. How did she know that? All boots were the same, weren't they? How could she tell if a man was coming based on his boots?  
  
The clicking was getting farther now. Jewel snapped out of her thoughts and powered all her muscles. Then, without warning, she leapt easily from her spot and flew through the air, hands outstretched to catch her prey. She saw a flash of red and silver before she hit the prey, knocking him off balance. As they fell forward, Jewel quickly blocked access to the prey's sword with her leg. She felt the hand going toward the hilt of the sword, and then stopping.  
  
They landed on the floor with a sickening thud. Jewel flipped off her prey and delivered a kick to his side. The man rolled over and Jewel pounced on him again. Sitting astride on his chest, she pinned his arms above his head. Her short dark red hair fell forward as she was learning over him, dangling just above his face.  
  
Deep crimson eyes stared angrily back at her calm sea blue ones. He was wearing a black uniform with red armor over it. He had a muscular body, tall and lean but yet thin. His skin was pale, as if he was almost never let out into daylight. He had a fair face, with arched silver eyebrows, short silver hair with bangs that fell into his eyes, and a scar that went the length down his left cheek.  
  
"State your name," Jewel growled. She was very aware that she had no weapon, and this man did. Keep your eyes on the jugular, a voice told her. If he makes any move, press on it hard with two fingers.  
  
"General Dilandau Albatou of Zaibach, Captain of the Dragon Slayers." The man replied.  
  
"Business?" Jewel growled even more menacing.  
  
"To take you to the Training room where you will be assigned you mission."  
  
Jewel studied the general some more. Finally she let him up. She sprang to her feet and stood up easily while the general pushed himself up. Once on his feet, Dilandau turned and walked away. Jewel followed right on his heels. The general didn't speak to her, so Jewel didn't try to start a conversation. She wasn't naïve; she knew what this man expected.  
  
After a while Dilandau opened a door on the right and walked in and so did Jewel. Inside was just a big, plain room with assorted weapons on the wall, nothing impressing. But in the center of the room, standing in a perfect straight line, all wearing blue uniforms with black armor, were six men.  
  
Immediately Jewel guessed that these were the Dragon Slayers that Dilandau was in charge of. As Dilandau approached them, they all saluted. The one on the left end was a short, dark haired man that had a boyish kind of look about him. His short brown hair hung around his face, and dark forest green eyes stared unblinkingly ahead.  
  
The second man was a tall, lean one with blonde hair that was braided back into a small braid. Pale blue eyes stared ahead. The third and fourth men confused Jewel. They were exactly alike, both with wild black hair and dark brown eyes with the same fun-loving glint in their eyes. They were almost alike, until Jewel discovered that one had a small scar above his left eye; it was faded but Jewel could see it clearly.  
  
The fifth man was the tallest of them all, but shorted then Dilandau. He had wild, untamed deep brown hair and the same kind of eyes. His skin was a darker tan then the rest, so Jewel guess he must have been a farmer. The last man was short, but still taller then the first man. He had long grayish black hair that came to his chin, and pale silver eyes. All the men were muscular, and all honed to perfection.  
  
"Eloy, Damain, Del, Leroy, Quin, and David," Dilandau said, calling out the men's names in order, left to right, while Jewel nodded. She detected a small hint of pride in Dilandau's voice. And Dilandau seemed like the kind of man that wasn't easily impressed. These must be the best men in Gaea.  
  
"The Dream Team," She said suddenly, surprising herself. "Weapons, assassination, combat, piloting, mechanics, explosives."  
  
Dilandau gave a slight nod. "Best of the best. So you're assumption of, 'Dream Team', is correct. Except we are no dream."  
  
Jewel shrugged. She knew that she was dealing with the Dragon Slayers, renowned for their excessive skills. But a question pulled at the back of her mind. If she had a mission, was it with these soldiers?  
  
Just then Strategose entered. Jewel heard him approach the door before he even entered. She whirled around and stood in attention as he entered. He waved her off and Jewel relaxed. "You're mission, Jewel, to accompany the Dragon Slayers to Austria. There, you will help them destroy all advisors that pose a threat to us," Strategose said.  
  
"Sir, no disrespect intended, but I work better alone," Jewel said.  
  
"I know that, but you need experience with working along side the Dragon Slayers. Now, even though you will accompany them, you will follow General Dilandau's orders like the rest."  
  
Jewel looked revolted. "Sir, I follow-like some kind of whipped dog- Dilandau's orders?"  
  
"No other way to put it."  
  
"Sir, I am no whipped dog. I will follow orders when the time comes, but until then, I wish to follow my own orders."  
  
There was a long pause. Strategose was considering it. And then, "very well."  
  
Jewel could feel Dilandau glaring at her. For some reason, she knew he had wanted her to be under his command. Someone who was not following his orders made him feel insecure. Strategose left the Training room and Jewel turned to Dilandau.  
  
"I assume we leave now, since Fol-I mean Strategose didn't give us a time." Was all she said.  
  
"Yes. Meet us in the hanger in fifteen minutes." Dilandau replied.  
  
But by then Jewel was already out the door and heading towards her room.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC….  
  
AN: So how was it? Review please! Thanks to Mouser, Chichiriu, ElvenChild, CrimsonFire, TigerWolf and Tia, all who have reviewed and made my day!!! 


	9. Harmony

Disclaimer: I do not, sadly, own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, and if you would like to use her, please ask me first!  
  
AN: Sorry for the late upload, it took me a while to find this chapter. It was lost in my computer =grins=. But anyway, here is chapter nine of Shadow Warrior! This story won't last very long, I knew I wanted it to be longer and I had a lot of good ideas for it, but I just can't seem to write them into the story. =shrugs= I don't really know, so let's hope this makes sense. Review, please!  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine: Harmony in a Fighter  
  
Jewel was waiting in the hanger as Dilandau and his troops walked in. She was casually perched atop the red guymelef unit, her sea blue eyes calmly taking in the troops below her.  
  
"Since I only count seven units, I assume I'm to either find my own transportation or to ride with one of you," she said, dislike in her tone.  
  
"So you are smarter then I thought." Dilandau smirked.  
  
"I wouldn't be talking like that to me, dear Fire Lord. You never know how I might react."  
  
"And why would I be afraid of you?"  
  
Jewel stood up and looked down at Dilandau. Instead of throwing some sort of smart remark back at him, she simply jumped of the guymelef unit. She flipped through the air and landed on her feet. Without a pause, she did two front flips and landed in the splits in front of the nearest Dragon Slayer. Then she jumped to her feet and, with lightning fast reflexes, aimed a kick at the Slayer's face. She stopped her foot a millimeter from his face.  
  
Balanced on one foot, she looked Dilandau. "An example, if you will. I can do this to you in five point six seconds, only you wouldn't be breathing after that," she said. She set her foot down and walked back over to the red guymelef. She jumped back on top of it and looked down expectantly at the Slayers.  
  
Damn, she's good, Dilandau thought as he started towards the red guymelef, his guymelef. Not only can she beat the stuffing out of anyone within five minutes, but she also has cat-like abilities. She just might work out after all.  
  
****  
  
Six hours later Jewel jumped down from the red guymelef. They had landed in a forest just fifteen miles South of Austria's border. Rumor was that not only was the Fanellian King and his wife were supposed to be visiting Austria, but the Calei Knight, Allen Schezar, was also supposed to be there.  
  
"This will be harder then we originally thought. With the Fanellian King and Queen and the Calei Knight here, we'll have a tougher time killing those advisors," Jewel mused to herself, as she looked around the crowded landing spot. Tall trees were everywhere, the branches inter-twining. And thick bushes littered the ground, along with vines and thorns.  
  
"If I knew better, I'd say you were actually afraid of the Calei Knight," Dilandau said as he emerged from the guymelef.  
  
Jewel threw him a look over her shoulder. "Hardly."  
  
"Oh? I happen to know the Calei Knight. He's a worthy opponent; I'll say that. But he's looks and vanity get the best of him. And the Fanellian King…" Dilandau trailed off.  
  
Jewel raised her eyebrow. "Sounds like you also happen to know this king. And it sounds like he must be good-looking… Maybe even better looking then you."  
  
Dilandau glared at Jewel. "I do know Van Fanel. He's the one that ruined my beautiful face and-"  
  
Jewel laughed and walked off, leaving behind a stunned Dilandau. Dilandau, the one who was feared by everyone, who was the best soldier in the history of Gaea, was actually surprised by Jewel's sudden daring. They knew nothing about each other, and it was apparent that Jewel didn't like him, but was she flirting with him? Nonsense, Dilandau thought as he started shouting orders. It was probably some smart-alec remark that she didn't put much thought into.  
  
Jewel, who was by now a couple hundred feet away from the Slayers, was examining an odd looking tree. For some reason, it looked familiar… But she couldn't place it. "Ughn," she moaned as the pains in her head became worse. She put a hand up to her head and closed her eyes.  
  
Images rushed through her head, but when she opened her eyes again they were forgotten. Jewel waited until the pain numbed before she started back towards the camp. Half way there, she stopped suddenly. She strained her hearing, trying to catch the sound again. Was that a child she had heard?  
  
There, she had heard the sound again. Jewel turned to her left and started through the bushes and heavy branches. She walked for a few minutes, still straining her hearing. Where was the child? Something inside of her pulled at her. Jewel stopped again and listened. There was no sound, but the pulling inside of her was getting stronger.  
  
Panic began to rise in her. Where was the child? She looked around; there was nothing around her except for branches and bushes. A heartbeat started up in her ears, faint but still beating. She could feel the blood rushing through her veins, she could hear her own heart and that of a child's…  
  
Suddenly Jewel looked down at her hands. Was it her imagination, or were her hands changing? Wait, another sound, to her right. Jewel turned her head and looked. It was completely dark now; there was no chance of her getting to the child in this light.  
  
A pain starting at the back of her spine and going down to her legs. Another pain, this time in her arms. Then another, behind her eyes. A sensation of crawling worms below her skin, joined with the feeling of blood pumping through her veins. Tickling sensation right on her neck, underneath the skin.  
  
Jewel looked down and saw that her hands had changed. Instead of pink, fleshy, five fingered hands there was black fur covering them, and they had reverted into something that looked like a half human and cat- like. They were smaller, thinner, and bright silver claws adorned each short finger. There were pads where her palms should be. Still looking, Jewel found that the fur covered her whole body.  
  
Touching her face, she found that it was also covered with fur. Her eyes had spread apart a little, and her nose had shrunk into her mouth. Where her nostrils should've been, there was a black wet nose and where her lips should've been there were whiskers and a cat mouth. Her teeth were short and sharp, with side canines coming down farther then they should've. Her hair was gone, and she had small, pointed ears on top of her head.  
  
Her legs were more muscular, and she saw that her boot had split. There were now feline hind legs, her toes had melted together to form paws with silver claws at the end. There was a black tail, and Jewel realized that her clothes had torn. Her only cover was the black fur that adorned her now. A white strip went from her neck, down her chest and stopped at her abdomen.  
  
A flash crossed Jewel's mind. She was looking at herself in a mirror, the same mirror in the white room. She had seen herself as she was now, mostly cat. She remembered the panic, and then nothing. Shaking her head, Jewel put a hand up to her head. It was pounding like crazy, but there was almost no pain.  
  
Suddenly another sound, this time to her left. The child, Jewel realized. Without thinking she sunk to all four limbs and started to run through the forest. She had never realized what it was like to go so fast, be so agile. Her hearing was better, so was her nose and eyes. She could make quick turns, leap father into the air, and land perfectly. It was wonderful; she had never known what it was like to be a cat.  
  
But you're not totally a cat, she reminded herself. But why in hell does it feel so natural? Jewel ran for… well, she couldn't exactly remember. She was putting all her energy into listening and looking for the child.  
  
Finally, she burst through a thick bush and landed in a small clearing. Just feet in front of her was the child, lying down by a small pond. Moonlight shimmered and was reflected by the pond, seeming as if it lighted up the small clearing.  
  
Jewel sniffed the air. There was the metallic smell of blood and salty tears in the air. Getting up on her hind feet, Jewel walked slowly and quietly towards the child. She saw that it was a girl, with short dark brown hair.  
  
She was wearing a strangely familiar school uniform, one that was khaki and black… A black skirt, white blouse covered by a khaki jacket with black lining. A blue bow was tied in the front and there was a scarf-like thing that attached to the jacket, black and khaki colored.  
  
Now Jewel was standing right next to the girl, towering above her. Maybe it was the shadow that she cast over the little girl, or maybe it was the sound of her approach, but whatever it was, it made the little girl look up at Jewel. Her brilliant emerald green eyes widened in surprise and pleasure as she looked up at Jewel. Jewel could see herself reflected in the girl's eyes, the moon shining down on her, making her black fur shine and her cat-like yellow eyes shine.  
  
"Jewel!" The girl whispered, relief and happiness in her voice. The girl got to her feet and hugged Jewel, though she only came to Jewel's thighs. Jewel looked down at the little girl.  
  
"Jewel, I'm so happy to see you! We were so worried about you; you just disappeared! Daddy and mommy were so worried, they thought that you had run away or were stolen! Brother and I were scared for you; we missed you so much!  
  
"Then mommy and daddy started fighting, they thought it was each other's fault that you had disappeared. Brother and I didn't like that at all. Then, when mommy and daddy were fighting one night, brother and I ran away. We were running through the streets, it was dark. We heard a car behind us, so we tried to get to the sidewalk." The girl's eyes began to water. "I got to the sidewalk, but brother slipped and fell in the street. I tried to get to him, but he yelled at me, he told me to keep running. And to find you; I turned and started to run.  
  
"Then I heard the car screeching… And I smack… Brother…. I don't think…. I didn't get to tell him…" The girl started to cry silently. Jewel looked thoughtfully at the girl. She reached out a hand and stroked the girl's hair.  
  
"It's ok, Narisia. You found me, and I'm here now." She whispered.  
  
The girl, Narisia, looked up with teary eyes at Jewel. "I remember running, wishing you were here with me. You would make it alright. I knew you would. Then a bright light came down, and I landed here. I've been here for a day, I'm hungry and cold and I didn't know where I was. I missed you, brother, mommy and daddy. All I could think of is how much mommy and daddy must miss us now."  
  
Jewel kneeled down and hugged Narisia close to her. "You don't have to worry anymore, Narisia. I'm here, and I'll protect you. We'll go home… I promise. And we'll fix everything, ok?"  
  
Narisia sniffed and nodded. She wiped her eyes and looked at Jewel. "Where are we going to go?"  
  
Jewel looked at Narisia. For once she was glad feline eyes couldn't show emotion. Narisia was just a child, only six. She didn't understand, she couldn't. She wouldn't understand why Jewel had to go off and kill people; she wouldn't understand why Jewel lived with killers. She wouldn't know why they practiced with swords or why people here were part animal. She wouldn't be able to accept that the people here lived different lives then the people on Earth…  
  
Jewel shook her head. How did she know about Narisia? And Earth, her family? She looked at Narisia again and pushed those thoughts out of her head. "I'll take you back to my camp. You'll stay with me," she told her. Once again getting down on all four limbs, she told Narisia to climb onto her back and hang on. Narisia did just that, settling herself behind Jewel's shoulders and putting her arms around Jewel's neck. Then Jewel took off with Narisia into the darkness.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…. 


	10. Angel Eyes

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne, sadly. But, I do own Jewel, the new Dragon Slayers, and Narisia, so if you wish to use them please let me know first!  
  
Chapter Ten: Angel Eyes  
  
Dilandau was sitting by the small campfire he had erected, staring idly into the flames. He wondered how he could feel so strange... Sure, he had been with plenty of girls, most of them more idiotic then the next. But, he had never found someone so... So unique like Jewel. Just the way her eyes flashed when she sensed excitement or a prominent fight. They way her fiery red hair twisted around her face when she fought...  
  
He mentally slapped himself. What in Gaea was he thinking? Jewel, the runt, from the Mystic Moon? The girl who defied his very being? The girl who he considered and equal? He shook his head and rested it on his hand. If he thought loosing his Dragon Slayers had been painful... This was coming very close to it.  
  
Suddenly a movement behind him made him jump to his feet and drew his sword. He spun around and stared at a certain clump of bushes in front of him. He heard the nearest Slayers draw their swords and quietly walk closer to him.  
  
Just then the strangest thing happened. A Black Panther emerged from the bushes, carrying upon its back a young female child. The child was wearing clothes similar to what Van Fanel's wife had worn when she arrived both time on Gaea.  
  
"At my command, we attack and kill both child and animal," Dilandau said to the Slayers. He took a small step forward, carefully readying his sword for the blow. He licked his lips, anticipation of a kill pumping through his veins.  
  
The girl got off the panther's back and stood by it. She had clothes like Van Fanel's wife used to wear when she came to Gaea. Dilandau's eyes widened in surprise, and even more when the panther suddenly stood on its hind legs.  
  
To Dilandau's surprise, it looked strangely human like, standing on its hind legs, the front limbs looking oddly like hands... Suddenly it hit him. This was some sort of mutated beast-human. But what was it doing with a child from the Mystic Moon?  
  
"Dilandau, we meet again?" A silky voice said. Oddly enough, it was coming from the animal. "Don't you recognize me?"  
  
"Who are you?" Dilandau demanded.  
  
"Guess not. Maybe this will help." Suddenly the panther's yellow cat-eyes melted into sea blue ones and red hair sprouted from her head. The features only stayed there for a couple seconds, and then they melted back into the black fur.  
  
"Jewel! What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
"Oh, just went for a little walk, when suddenly I turned into this. Interesting, isn't it? And oddly enough, I found my sister from the Mystic Moon, and I remembered her, and my past life there. Now I have two sets of memories... Which should I believe? The one where I have a sister, and a real family, or this one, with Zaibach, one that I can barely remember and seems fake?"  
  
"Jewel..."  
  
"Shut it, Fire Lord! Wait, I shouldn't call you that, should I? You are, after all, only human. You have no control over fire..."  
  
"Jewel, shut up now!"  
  
"Or what?"  
  
Dilandau pointed his sword at the child. "Or else I'll kill her."  
  
A smile appeared on Jewel's cat-lips. "Try it, I dare you."  
  
Dilandau wound up and charged. He reached the child and started to swing his sword down in an arch, but to his surprise the sword never even reached the child. Or the spot where he stood. It was gone, lying feet away from him. Suddenly a sharp pain in his chest and his vision was blurred by a black thing. He hit the ground hard, and found Jewel crouched on top of his chest.  
  
"Seem familiar?" He hissed at her. In a flash, Jewel's paw had connected with his right cheek, cutting open his scar with fierce claw marks. She stood up and jumped off him, proceeding to take out the rest of the Slayers just as easily.  
  
By the time Dilandau had sat up again, Jewel was standing protectively in front of the child, glaring at him. "Touch her and die, Albatou," she hissed. Dilandau grinned and put a hand up to his cheek. "Too bad, isn't it? I'd hate to have to give the order to have you killed, you would've been good to have. Too bad," he said.  
  
"You can't kill me, and you know it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
In a flash, there was a small scream, and the form of the child had hit the ground. Jewel whirled around to find Narisia lying on the ground, knocked out with a bruise already forming on her cheek. Jewel's eye widened and rage rushed through her veins. How dare they lay a hand on her sister! Without thinking, she whirled around again to face Dilandau.  
  
Only she met the side of a blade, which hit her in the side of the head. Unconsciousness clouded her vision, and her muscles relaxed. She feel, harmless, to the ground. "Too bad, Jewel. You'll have a lot more pain now," Dilandau hissed as he stared down at the unconscious form of the cat Jewel. Then, slowly she reformed to her old self, wearing a black sleeveless dress. Dilandau raised his eyes, but turned away.  
  
"Take the trash to separate tents, and tie both of them up. Alert me when the red haired one is awake," he yelled over his shoulder to his Dragon Slayers as he walked towards his tent.  
  
AN: Sorry for the sort chap, everyone! The next one will be two chaps in the same chap, so it's gunna be a lot longer! Don't worry! And a special thanks to all who have reviewed, you guys really make my day! Lata! 


	11. Exchange

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Escaflowne cast, or the plot line. Yes, it's very sad, I know. But I own Jewel, Narisia and the new DS, so ask if you wanna use them!  
  
Chapter Eleven: Exchange  
  
"You evil bastard!" Jewel screamed-in her human form-at Dilandau.  
  
"Thanks for the compliment." Dilandau replied, and edge to his voice.  
  
"Let her go!"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Do it!"  
  
"Last time I checked, I didn't take orders from you."  
  
"Let Narisia go! She's my sister!"  
  
"I've noticed."  
  
Jewel stared at Dilandau, eyes wide. How could he do this to her? How could he threaten Narisia's life, and watch proudly as she begged him to let her go? How could he? Suddenly a pain in her head brought Jewel to her knees. She grabbed her head and doubled over in pain. How could he...?  
  
A burly man, standing over her, holding a gun. "Runt, get outta here," he hissed, looking over her shoulder. "But..." "OUT!" And Jewel had ran. How could he do this to her? How could he send her away after they had become friends? A sudden scream, and a gunshot sounded. Jewel flinched, but kept running. How could he give himself up to save her?! Why did he do it? How could he?  
  
"How could he...?" Jewel moaned, tears spilling out of her eyes. She balled her hands and hit the ground. "How could he?" She cried, hurt and anger in her voice. She stayed on the ground, silently crying. Why did he kill himself? Who was he...?  
  
Suddenly Jewel stopped crying. She pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked at Dilandau, who was looking down at her with an odd expression in his eyes. "Who was he?" She asked. Dilandau looked shocked and surprised, so Jewel just shook her head. "Never mind," she muttered.  
  
She stood and looked at Dilandau. Standing tall against him, she felt a surge of pride. She may not have known what Earth-the Mystical Moon-was or who exactly lived on it, or how she had a sister from there, but she knew something. She was still loyal to Zaibach, and she had a sister to protect.  
  
"I'll make you a deal, Dilandau," she said, strangely calm.  
  
Dilandau raised his eyebrows. "What kind of deal?"  
  
"One that involves a life."  
  
This interested Dilandau. "I'm listening."  
  
"Tomorrow, when we attack Austria, I assume you'll keep some guards here for Narisia. I also assume you'll kill her, sooner or later. But, if tomorrow I am able to capture King Van and bring him back, alive, to you, and give you to him, will you let Narisia go and give her to me. A change of people, Narisia for Van."  
  
"And if you can't get Van?"  
  
"Then... Then you can kill Narisia."  
  
Dilandau was silent for a couple minutes. Jewel stood before him, staring at him with a blank expression on her face. If Dilandau accepted her offer, then she would be risking Narisia's life. It all depended on her...  
  
Dilandau looked and Jewel. "We have a deal. Tomorrow, you bring me Van, and I give you Narisia. But, if you fail to give me Van, I kill Narisia," he said. Jewel nodded. "Understood." And with that, she walked out of his tent and towards hers.  
  
****  
  
It was hours before dawn when Jewel emerged from her tent. The cold, wet air blew across her face, sending shivers down her spine. It had sprinkled the night before, and more rain was expected for later in the day.  
  
All night Jewel had stayed awake, she had tried to sleep but Lady Sleep wouldn't come without horrid dreams... Dreams of fire, Narisia, a past unknown, and Dilandau. Jewel shook her head, clearing it. She had to stay focused; Narisia's life was in the balance now.  
  
Skillfully dressed in tall black boots, a short (mid-thigh length) black skirt, a long sleeved tight black shirt, and a long black coat, she set off into the forest. She only had a few hours before the King would awake and start his activities for the day. If she didn't get to him before then, all her chances would be blown off.  
  
After Jewel was sure no one else was around, and she had a good distance between herself and the camp, she changed back into her cat form. This time the change was quick and silent, causing no pain or discomfort. Once she was fully changed, she set off towards the castle at high speed.  
  
It only took Jewel two hours to get inside Austria and make her way to the castle. It took her less time to sneak past the guards; most of them were asleep anyway. Being highly cautious and glancing at the sky to make sure she had enough time, Jewel began to scale the castle walls.  
  
The climb was an easy one for her. Her cat-like reflexes and muscles helped her climb quickly and surely. Once she had climbed to about-what Jewel guessed was-the nineteenth floor, she flipped herself up through a window.  
  
Perching on the small still, she peered into the room that she was about to enter. "Bingo," she whispered under her breath. She could just make out the forms of two sleeping people, one with wild hair and muscles.  
  
Carefully she slid her long nails around the window, searching for something to grab hold of. Her search turned up nothing, so she gently leaned her shoulder against the glass and pushed. A couple seconds later there was a small pop of the hinges being broken, and the glass began to fall inward.  
  
Jewel reached out quickly and grabbed the glass before it fell and shattered. This was the part where she had to be extremely careful. One wrong move, one slip up, and it would be over. Jewel checked the sky quickly before entering the room. Good, she had barely enough time.  
  
She pounced silently into the room and landed gracefully onto her hind legs. She stood up to her full height and slipped the glass panel back into its hinges. It was a very small window; she doubted even she could've fitted through it in her human form. But there were all the advantages to being in cat form.  
  
There was a rustle of covers, and an audible yawn. Quickly Jewel jumped high into the air. She dug her claws into the celing and pulled herself up, digging in her back claws. She watched over her shoulder as a slim, young woman with short auburn hair and emerald green eyes sat up and got out of bed with the man.  
  
She was wearing a short white nightgown that flowed behind her as she moved. She stood up, stretched and left the room, entering a smaller one attached to the room Jewel was in. The woman stopped just under Jewel before she left for the smaller room.  
  
Once the door closed, and Jewel could hear the sound of a shower starting, she dropped down from her vertical hiding place on the celing. She landed soundlessly, and looked expectantly at the man. He only gave her a tired snore and rolled over. A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she flicked her tail. So he's a heavy sleeper. All the more good luck for me, she thought.  
  
Jewel looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise; the sky was lightening up greatly. His wife goes for a pre-dawn run, I see. I hope Dilandau is in place, she thought. Just on the border of the forest she could see a dark red guymelef. She flashed it a quick smile. Suddenly she heard the door start to open, so she dived to the side. She rolled into the shadows and remained still.  
  
Hitomi Fanel came out of the bathroom, dressed in running shorts and plain white shirt. She turned and left the room. Jewel waited until her footsteps faded away. Once she was sure she was gone, she went to the window and watched as Hitomi began to run away, heading towards the forest.  
  
A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she realized what Hitomi was heading towards. And then the sound of covers moving and a human getting up alerted her to the danger. "Hey, what are you doing here?" A deep male voice asked her. Jewel's eyes widened in surprise. She was in trouble now.  
  
TBC... 


	12. Surprise

Disclaimer: I do not, sadly, own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, Narisia, some semi-new characters, and the new Dragon Slayers, so ask before you use them!  
  
Author's Note: Well, I've finally done it people! I have a very new surprise! And talk about major plot twist! He he he! Well, read and enjoy!  
  
Chapter Twelve: Surprise  
  
Jewel's heart skipped a beat. Her mind raced for an answer to the question Van had just asked her. Was he still asleep enough to really notice her? She turned around and looked at him. Van gazed at her with sleepy eyes. Yes, he was still drowsy enough to believe what she had in mind.  
  
"I am merely a dream, King Van. I am only here to protect and guide you in the coming days, for you will need it," she said, keeping her voice low.  
  
"Huh?" Van asked, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"An angel sent from the Divine Kingdom to protect you and Queen Hitomi, for you will need it in coming days. Do not fear, I am here to protect you. Now go to sleep."  
  
Van muttered something and promptly fell asleep again. Jewel sighed and waited until she heard him snoring again before she moved. She walked over to him and swiftly knocked him out, just in case. Of course she wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a try. Van's snoring stopped and he lay motionless.  
  
Carefully Jewel lifted him up and onto her shoulders. Another good thing about cat form, she thought. Super human strength. She turned and walked over to the window. She kicked the glass panel loose and watched as it fell out and started its journey towards the ground. Jewel then threw Van out the window and followed just behind him.  
  
Hurtling down towards the ground at a high speed, Jewel swiftly caught up to Van. She grabbed his hand and reached out with her other, grabbing a hold of the castle wall. She slowed herself down to almost a complete halt when she touched ground.  
  
Letting go of the wall, Jewel fell backwards and dropped Van. She paused a moment to catch her breath before standing up. "Okay, next step. Get out of-" Jewel muttered, but was cut off. She noticed that there was a lot of screaming going on, and a quick sniff of the air told her that something was on fire.  
  
Working fast, she once again pulled Van onto her shoulder and ran towards the city walls. It took her longer then expected, since she had the extra weight of Van on her shoulders. "Man, I hope this is worth it... Dilandau better not double cross me," she whispered as she reached the walls.  
  
With quick glance at them told her that she would have a hard time climbing them. So instead she looked around, only to spot a red guymelef heading her way, through the city. What's he doing, coming towards me? She wondered. If he's here to make sure I get Van... Suddenly she stopped. Dilandau looked like he was fighting other guymelefs.  
  
Jewel sighed, relieved. For some reason she didn't want Dilandau there, checking up on her. She turned and took a hold of the stone wall and hosted herself up. She began climbing as quickly as she could, trying to make Van slip of her shoulders. It was after all, critical that she kept him alive.  
  
Fifteen minutes later Jewel was standing on top of the wall. She checked over her shoulder and saw that Dilandau was failing in his attempts to keep the other guymelefs back. They were slowly pushing him into the wall... He didn't have a chance! Jewel looked helplessly at his guymelef. What could she do? She had to help him!  
  
Suddenly she realized what she was thinking. No, I can't go and help him. He lied to me; he's threatening Narisia's life. I just have to get Van to the camp; that's all I have to do. I don't have to help him, I'm not his slave or his solider, she thought.  
  
You're just a pawn to him. Once he gets Van, he'll kill Narisia. He doesn't care; he's a monster. He lied to you and he's holding your sister hostage. He doesn't care about you, just release Van, go back to the camp and rescue Narisia. It's as simple as that, a voice whispered.  
  
"NO!" Jewel yelled, surprising herself. Suddenly the sky above her, which was red with pre-dawn light, turned a dark midnight blue. The clouds above began to spark, and a shower of lights fell from the sky. And then the clouds lighted up with a heavenly light from inside, and a beam of golden light came crashing down from them. It light landed only a few feet away from Jewel and Dilandau's guymelef.  
  
This startled Jewel and she lost her balance. The fight that Dilandau was fighting temporarily stopped as all gazed at the light. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it went. The clouds glowed again as the light disappeared again into them and they released another shower of lights. And then thee sky returned to its regular pre-dawn color, as if nothing had happened.  
  
And just before Jewel fell backwards, she saw a tall, slim, athletic looking woman. She wore knee high black boots, a short black mini skirt, and a long sleeved tight black shirt. She had waist long dark brown hair and a pretty face. And Jewel could've swore she saw dark midnight blue eyes. But then momentum caught up to her, and she fell off the wall.  
  
****  
  
Dilandau stood frozen in his guymelef as he stared at the heavenly sight before him. There, only feet to his left was Katrina Albatou, the only woman he had ever loved. She stood there, staring at him with those beautiful, dark, midnight blue eyes, her long dark brown hair blowing in the breeze. She stared at him as if she could see right past his guymelef and into his cockpit.  
  
Suddenly Kat (as she was known) lifted her right hand up and held it straight out, palm facing forward, towards the other attacking guymelefs. A dark sphere of energy formed and shot out, hitting both attacking guymelefs and destroying them. She looked at the wreckage of her attack, and then put her hand down. She had destroyed the guymelefs so that only a few pieces of metal remained, and the corpses.  
  
Without thinking Dilandau started towards Kat. He couldn't believe it; she was standing before him, the perfect vision of hope. His vision of hope. He reached her in barely a few steps. She looked up at him but said nothing, but Dilandau could see tears in her eyes. He reached down and picked her very carefully.  
  
He held her up to his eye level and took her in. She looked amazing, and she looked exactly the same. She looked at him carefully, was this really real? Was she actually back with Dilandau and the Dragon Slayers? She had to make sure.  
  
In a second the battle had turned. There was a cry, and a voice reached Dilandau's ears. "Sir, the advisors are done! Let's go!" Dilandau snapped back from his reverie and turned. "All units, let's go!" He said. Then he carefully drew his arms in, making sure that Kat was protected, before running off into the forest.  
  
****  
  
Kat sat by the fire's side, looking into it. She had a blanket around her shoulders and she was holding a cup of hot liquid. She had forgotten how much she missed being around people... She shook her head roughly. Just because she was taken from Dilandau and put in a white cell somewhere didn't mean she had to remember it.  
  
"You okay?" Someone asked from behind her.  
  
Kat turned around and smiled at Dilandau's silhouette. "Yeah..."  
  
Dilandau came and sat down next to Kat. "You don't sound okay."  
  
"I know I do. It was just... Hard, where I was."  
  
"I know it was, it was hard without you here. And I missed you, a lot."  
  
"I missed you too."  
  
There was silence for a while. "Do you want to talk about it?" Dilandau finally asked. He was dying to know where Kat was taken.  
  
Kat shrugged. "I don't really care, but who would believe me? I mean, being taken away in a beam of light to some white... Cage somewhere without human contact and lots of pain, it's absurd. And... After..."  
  
Kat blinked back tears. Dilandau put a comforting arm around her. "Nicole and Alex were taken with me, as you know. But, they didn't make it..." Kat choked out. She looked at Dilandau with tears silently streaming from her eyes.  
  
"They lasted for two years... But then they couldn't go on. Nicole was first, she was fast, and Alex and I got to say our good-byes. But then only a few weeks later Alex went. She was quick, but just before she went she wanted me to promise that I'd come back to Gaea or Earth. I promised, and then she died... In my arms," Kat said, her voice quavering.  
  
She buried her head in Dilandau's chest. "And another year you spent, trying to come back," he finished for her. Kat nodded. "And I finally did..."  
  
Dilandau hugged Kat close to him. He knew how much pain she was in, and he hated seeing his vision of hope in pain. It made him hurt. He hated it so much that he would do anything for Kat, just as long as she wasn't in pain or physically hurt.  
  
After a few minutes Kat recovered herself and sat up straight. She dried her eyes and looked at Dilandau. "Thanks, I've forgotten how kind you can be to me," she said, jokingly.  
  
Dilandau wrapped his arm around her and smiled. "It's been a long time, Kitten. And I've missed you a lot."  
  
"I missed you too, love."  
  
Kat leaned towards Dilandau and both sets of lips caught in a kiss.  
  
****  
  
Jewel awoke to find that the sun had already set. She frantically looked around, where was Van? She found him easily, since he had landed in a haystack. Lucky him, she thought. He had something to brake his fall.  
  
She got up and walked over to him. His loud snores alerted her that he was still asleep. She shook her head; that was simply pathetic. She checked and made sure that she was still in cat form. She was, so she simply picked up Van and put him over her shoulders. Then she started into the forest.  
  
It didn't take Jewel long to get back to camp. When she arrived, she roughly grabbed the nearest Dragon Slayer, who happened to be Del. "Get Dilandau, now," she hissed at him. Apparently he was scared of her appearance of her or he thought she was some sort of demon. Whatever it was, Del set off a sprint to get Dilandau.  
  
Jewel smirked. Narisia would be under her protection, and Dilandau would get Van. The deal had worked, hadn't it? Jewel tried to remember what the other term of the deal was, but her mind was failing her. She pushed the feeling that everything wasn't fine out of her mind as she moved towards the fire. It had to be alright, didn't it?  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC...  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Like the chap?? I hope y'all did, and sorry for the delays in posting! Oh, and don't worry, there'll be a lot more twists in this story! So watch out for the next chapter and please review! Thanks for all who have reviewed! -ShadowKat 


	13. Where Do I Go From Here?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, Kat, Narisia and the new Dragon Slayers, so if you wish to use them please ask me first!  
  
Chapter Thirteen: Where Do I Go From Here?  
  
Dilandau wasn't at all happy when Elli came running up to him, shouting his name. Kat had finally fallen asleep in his arms moments before, but now she awoke with a start. "Lord Dilandau, Lady Jewel has returned with King Van!" Elli yelled.  
  
Dilandau watched as Kat blinked and stood up. A look of confusion and wonderment appeared on her face and Dilandau stood and started towards Elli. He nodded briefly at Elli, and then headed in the direction from which he had run.  
  
Stupid boy, he'll alert everyone to where we are, Dilandau thought. He arrived at the spot where Elli had come from and saw Jewel standing there, looking proud. And next to her feet lay Van...  
  
Dilandau's eyes jerked towards the body. Was it breathing? Was Van alive? He better be... Dilandau thought. "Dilandau," Jewel said as she spotted him.  
  
"You're late."  
  
"Late? I thought I was on time."  
  
"Barely."  
  
"Well then. I guess the deal is still in affect."  
  
"It could be."  
  
"Where's Narisia?"  
  
Footsteps behind Dilandau alerted them both to someone coming. Dilandau turned around, hand on the hilt of his sword. But he saw that it was only Kat, carrying the child in question in her arms. How she could have known about Narisia and gotten her so fast wasn't really a question in his mind at the moment. He turned back to Jewel. "Right here."  
  
"Give her to me."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"What? We had a deal!"  
  
"You have yet to show me that Van is alive."  
  
Jewel scowled at him, but kicked Van onto his back. Van rolled onto his back and blinked a couple of times. A definite sign that he was alive and coming too. "Happy?"  
  
Dilandau nodded. He looked over at Kat and jerked his head towards Jewel. "Give her to her."  
  
Kat looked down at the sleeping child in her arms, who was holding onto her tight. The child was having troubled dreams, they way her face was forced into a troubled expression and she clutched to her. Then she looked at the woman Dilandau had been talking to. There was a resemblance in them, and she guessed that they must've been sisters.  
  
But she doesn't look Gaean, and neither does the child, she thought. They must be from Earth... The child gave a small yelp of surprise, and buried her head in the crook of Kat's neck. Kat looked carefully down at the child again, and then back at the woman. She took a step towards them.  
  
Suddenly Kat froze. Jewel and Dilandau watched as her eyes flashed and started to glow. A wind picked up and blew, hard. Jewel braced herself against its force, squinting her eyes, trying to keep an eye on Narisia.  
  
The wind swirled around Kat, lifting her long hair upwards. Kat turned her head towards the sky, looking straight up. After a few seconds, she lowered her head and stared straight at Jewel with black glowing eyes. "The child needs to go back, she does not belong. Say your good-byes now, Jewel, for the child leaves tonight," Kat said, her voice distant and deeper.  
  
"What? Narisia, no!" Jewel screamed, and tried to get towards Narisia. But the wind held her back, she couldn't move. "NARISIA!"  
  
A blue light suddenly shot down from the sky, and hit Kat. Kat stood in the light, still holding Narisia. Somewhere Jewel heard Dilandau scream something, but she couldn't hear what he said. Suddenly Kat and Narisia were being lifted up in the light. "NARISIA, NO!" Jewel screamed.  
  
She couldn't reach her sister. Tears formed in her eyes, where were they going. "NARISIA, I LOVE YOU!" Jewel screamed again. Just as she screamed that, Kat took the child and raised her above her head. Silver sparks fell from inside the light and wrapped themselves around Narisia's body. "NARISIA, I LOVE YOU! NARISIA!"  
  
Kat whispered something, and in a shot the light disappeared, taking Narisia with it as it shot back into the sky. The wind, still blowing, wrapped around Kat again and slowly lowered her to the ground. Once her feet touched the ground, Kat's eyes stopped glowing and the wind died down instantly.  
  
Everything stayed still. Kat stood in shock, but an understanding on her face. Dilandau stood somewhere, staying at Kat in disbelief. And Jewel was silently crying, wondering why the woman had give Narisia away.  
  
Suddenly hate filled her heart. How could this lady do this? How could she give up Narisia, just as Jewel was getting her back? Without thinking Jewel rushed Kat. She reached her and locked her hands around Kat's muscular arms. And she shook her, shook her with all of her might.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO?" She screamed at her, shaking even harder. "WHY?"  
  
Kat, taken by surprise, didn't fight back. Suddenly a pair of strong arms pried Jewel's hand off of Kat and threw her to the ground. Kat, in response to being let go of, fell backwards and hit the ground. She remained still.  
  
Jewel pushed herself off the ground and glared at Dilandau. "What did you do? Where's Narisia?" She demanded.  
  
"You don't get it do you?" Dilandau roared.  
  
"What should I get? Narisia's gone, because of this bitch!"  
  
"Kat sent the girl back because she didn't belong here! Kat had no choice over the decision! Kat had no choice, she was acting as a host to Gaea's spirit!" Dilandau roared with rage.  
  
Jewel blinked. What was going on?  
  
"Kat was given magical abilities to defend Gaea from formed attacks on her. Kat had defended Gaea for years, and she's almost killed herself on several occasions in protecting Gaea! Kat had no choice in sending the girl back, Gaea took over Kat's body and sent the girl back because Gaea didn't want her here!"  
  
Jewel stood, glaring at Dilandau. "This is stupid! It's not true!" She screamed, and ran back towards the camp.  
  
"I'll deal with you later!" Dilandau screamed after her. Once she was gone, he bent down over Kat's body. Her breathing was coming in short gasps, and her eyes were half closed. "Major... Energy drain," she muttered wearily. Dilandau gave her a small smile and picked up her limp body. He turned and walked back to camp, slowly.  
  
****  
  
Jewel sat in stunned silence. How could she have... She shook her head. She looked at Dilandau with a shocked sort of silence. He had just told her the whole story, from when Kat, Alex, and Nicole came to Gaea to when they married to when they were taken away three years ago.  
  
"I'm sorry..." she whispered. She had never imagined anything this deep. Nothing this complex, nothing this amazing. "I didn't know."  
  
"How could you? You had never met Kat before-"  
  
"But I have. When I was five. She used to baby sit me. She said that I was just like a hawk, and that she would never tell anyone about the things we did together. She was thirteen then. Then when she was sixteen she disappeared. I thought she had run away because she didn't like me, just like everyone else. But then she reappeared barely seven months later.  
  
"I hated her for disappearing, and for a while she stayed away from me. But then one night she came to me and forced me to see things, she simply told me that she was kidnapped and taken to Europe, they thought she was someone else. The whole story was outta whack, but somehow it made sense.  
  
"After that I started to hang with Kat. I didn't like her friends, but I loved Kat. She would listen to me, and she would understand even if I couldn't find the words. She cared about me. And then something happened. She had to go, because she had to take care of her jerk father.  
  
"At first I hated her for having to skip the country, but then I got over that. I understood; I hated her father also and I knew that if she didn't take matters into her own hands they would never be solved. But just before she did the deed, she gave me something. She said I would always be in her heart, and that she would always care."  
  
Jewel looked away, blinking back tears. How could she have done that to Kat, her only friend? She didn't even recognize her. How could she have done that? It was in panic, trauma, a voice told her. But she's my friend and I didn't even recognize her! She thought back. It was so stupid of her...  
  
"So you do know her," Dilandau said quietly. He stood up and started to leave the tent. Just before he left, he turned and looked at her. "We leave early in the morning, be ready," he said, and then left. Jewel nodded to the empty tent. What would she do now?  
  
****  
  
Jewel was up before sunrise. She had wandered away from the camp, wondering what she should do now. Zaibach had lied to her; she had no life with them, not ever. They had just wanted her as a soldier, but why she couldn't figure out. She sighed and sat down under a nice, big tree.  
  
"You want answers, don't you?" A voice asked from above her.  
  
Jewel looked up and saw Kat sitting in a branch above her. "Yeah, how'd you know?"  
  
"I always know. I know you better then anyone else does."  
  
"True. But I don't know why you would want to know me after last night."  
  
"Just because of some stupid incident? Don't worry about it."  
  
"But I could've killed you!"  
  
"And you didn't. Besides, I don't die just because someone was shaking the heck outta me. I'm harder then that. And I should be the one apologizing to you. I never told you the real reasons why I was away."  
  
"I understand why you didn't want to tell. You would've seen stupid or crazy in the eyes of others."  
  
"Yeah, but that gives me no right to lie to you. You would've understood."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Now, about those questions..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can find the answers for you, Jewel. If you'll let me."  
  
"In exchange for what?"  
  
"For nothing. Heck, I'll even give you a lift back home if you want it. But I just want you to find your answers."  
  
"My answers-"  
  
"Aren't on Earth, I can tell you that much. Stay with Zaibach and we'll get your answer, Jewel. I promise."  
  
Jewel nodded, blinking back tears. Kat jumped nimbly down from the tree and landed next to Jewel. She put a hand on Jewel's shoulder. "We will get your answers, and we'll work through things together. You can always count on me," she whispered.  
  
Jewel smiled thankfully at Kat and hugged her. Kat hugged Jewel back. Jewel knew that she could count on Kat to help her with this. After all, Kat understood her and Jewel could trust her. They would get through this, one way or another. 


	14. Home at Last

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Escaflowne characters or the plot line. I do own Jewel, Kat, Narisia and the new Dragon Slayers.   
  
Chapter Fourteen: Home at Last  
"All guymelef units, prepare to land," Dilandau's voice came over the COM line, snapping Jewel out of her reverie. She put her full attention into landing her guymelef; after all she hadn't exactly been the best in landing it before. But luckily she landed it with a small bump, a much better landing then before when she had almost cut half of the unit off.  
She jumped out of her guymelef and headed out of the room. She had to get to her room, and fast. She had things to do.   
  
Kat jumped down from her perch atop Dilandau's guymelef. She watched as Jewel hurriedly left the hanger. She sighed. That girl has more problems now, she thought sadly. She truly pitied Jewel. Her family abused her, no one understood her, and she had problems in finding her true self.   
She was born with a genetic defect, one that truly scared her parents. Her mother had been attacked by a rabid mountain cat while camping with the family once. The cat had an injury, and when it attacked her mother, it ripped open her stomach. The cat's DNA mixed with her mother and Jewel herself.   
This caused Jewel's mother to give birth early. Jewel matured in a matter of days, and when she was born she had cat like eyes and fur. Her parents were very scared about this; their beautiful child was a hybrid, a monster. But just as Jewel was born, her biological mother died from the mountain cat's own DNA mixed in with her own.  
And so a fearful family had raised Jewel, fearing her for what she was. Her father remarried but her stepmother was always away, and this helped Jewel none. When she finally reached puberty, it didn't help that her animal instincts began to take over. She would suddenly brake out into a violent rage in school, harming many. Or she would suddenly start to growl or she eyes would change into cat like eyes.   
It was very painful, and most pupils stayed away from her and feared her. She had no friends. And then her forms began to change. At first it hurt her, changing into a cat hybrid and back into a human. But eventually she got used to the sudden changes and she could control them. But now that she had full control over her form, humans could sense that something was wrong with her.  
Strangers would shy away from her without knowing it, people became more distant and more closed up around her. They wouldn't even look at her. It was hard on Jewel, she had no one and she hurt because of it. Finally she became self-dependent, and she withdrew herself from the world. No one liked her and they shied away from her, so why shouldn't she do the same? That's how she dealed with her pain.  
Kat felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Dilandau behind her. He motioned towards the door, and they walked out of it together. They walked in silence towards their room. Kat could tell Dilandau's thoughts were on Van and Jewel. Van… It seemed so strange. She remembered Van dying, she knew he was killed in the battle. But, how could he be alive? "Dilandau, wasn't Van killed when Willow was here?" Kat suddenly asked as they rounded a corner.   
Dilandau snapped out of his trance and looked at Kat. "Yes. But some wizards brought him back to life. They reincarnated him."  
Kat nodded slowly. "Van is back, and Hitomi lived. So now they're together…" She shook her head. Fate had a funny way of making the future, she decided.  
Suddenly they stopped. Kat recognized the door to their room, and looked at Dilandau. He punched in a code in a panel, and the doors slid open. They walked in together. Kat barely had time to look around the room before she was thrown backwards. A heavy, shaggy, black thing was on her, licking her face.   
She tired to push it back, but it resisted. Finally Dilandau heaved it off of her and Kat sat up. She looked at the large, black wolf standing in front of her. She smiled at it and got to her knees. She wrapped her arms around its neck and hugged it. "Oy, Blue!" She greeted it. She was greeted in return with a bunch of licks to her face.  
After that she stood up and hugged Dilandau. She rested her head against his shoulder as his arms went around her waist. "I missed this place a lot," she whispered.   
"And we missed you."   
Kat smiled and looked at Dilandau. "It's good to be home again."   
  
****  
Jewel sat in her room, staring blankly at her window. It was so much… She had thought of every possibility of why Zaibach would want her. And nothing, not even something crazy of logical, fitted into their possible motives. She was haunted with why they would want her, why they would go to so much trouble to make sure that she was loyal to them.  
She glanced at her digital watch, something Kat had slipped her before they left the campsite. It was two in the morning… Funny, she thought idly. I would've been out of the house before now, wandering the park, alone. Alone, with only my depressed thoughts… Only my memories…  
There was a soft knock at the door suddenly. Jewel jerked out of her thoughts and stared at the door. Suddenly Kat materialized before Jewel. Jewel, taken aback, fell off her perch on her bed. Kat chuckled and walked over to her and helped her out of her odd position on the floor. "Hey," Kat whispered softly.  
"Hey. What's with the reappearing act?"  
"I can phase through walls and create dark energy. Part of the job."  
"Aaah, I see."  
"Yup. But come with me."  
"Why?"  
"Because I have something to show you."  
Instead of waiting for an answer, Kat grabbed Jewel's hand and pulled her towards the door. Jewel was about to protest when suddenly they walked right through the door. That shocked Jewel into silence. It stayed like that, no one talking, as Kat led her down the dark corridors. Suddenly she phased them through another door, and Jewel found herself in a very dark room.   
Kat fumbled around for a second before she hissed and hit something. There was the sound of something clicking, and suddenly the lights flashed on. Jewel was surprised, she didn't think that they had electricity. But there, above her, were florescent lights. She glanced at Kat. Kat started into the room, pulling Jewel along.   
The room wasn't anything special. It was an overly large stone made room, with the stones looking old and worn. There were weird machines that looked like really big computers. But the thing was, there was no tower for the computer. They were just huge monitors and some type of keyboard.   
Kat led Jewel over to a monitor that was on. There were words written in some type of language on it, but Jewel could understand what they said. And the weird keyboard was just a bunch of colored squares. Jewel raised her eyebrow and looked at Kat, but only to find that she was quickly hitting the squares and staring at the screen.   
"Is it like a… a keyboard? You know, the kind back home?" Jewel asked suddenly. Kat took one of her hands off the keyboard and made the 'so-so' gesture. Jewel nodded, not quiet understanding it but deciding to leave Kat alone.   
After a few more minutes of typing, the monitor suddenly made a loud beep, and Jewel's picture came up on the screen. It was followed by symbols, and more letters that Jewel didn't understand. "This is your file. Zaibach keeps a file on everyone within it. Let's see…" Kat told her.  
"What does it say?"   
"You came here about seven weeks ago, Dilandau found you in the forest. Hm… They tended to your injuries, injected you with Prolein, made adjustments to your physical capacities, injected Melane into your brain, and then waited for you to wake up. You woke up once, caused more injury to yourself, they fixed that, and then you woke up and they began to train you."  
Jewel remained silent. So they had injected her with chemicals, had they? They had twisted her mind, they had violated her privacy, and most of all they had taken away the real her. "What's Prolein and Melane?"   
Kat looked very grim. "Prolein is what they use to help make the alterations in a person's body easier. And Melane is what they use to wrap the subject's mind, it helps them to insert artificial memories and change the person's personality."  
"What?!"  
"It looks like they played plastic surgeon with your body and your mind. But worst of all is that after you woke up, they injected you with Mithlein."  
"What's that?"  
Kat turned to Jewel and looked her in the eyes. She suddenly looked very stricken. "Mithlein is used to control the subject. It basically creates a link between your brain and a machine. Once they inject you with it, they can control you at any second, and moment, of your life," she said quietly.  
Jewel's eyes contorted into her cat eyes. A low growl escaped from her throat and vibrated through her entire body. She was physically shaking, and hard. They had violated her very being! Zaibach, oh how she wanted to take them and rip out their throats…  
Kat's hand was suddenly on Jewel's shoulder. "Jewel, this is very serious. This means that they could take you over at any moment, and you wouldn't be able to stop them. They could make you do anything, stuff that you don't ever want to do."  
"Can't you stop it? Can't you do something about it?"  
Kat stood there, staring at Jewel. Jewel's eyes shine with a masked hope. Kat sighed and looked away. I can't help her without killing her and I swore that I wouldn't do that again. But she doesn't want this… She hates Zaibach for what they've done to her. She already risking mutiny with this knowledge, she thought. But how can I help her…  
Finally Kat turned back and looked Jewel in the eye. "I can't promise anything, and I can't promise that I'll share all the information I find, if I find any. All I can tell you is that I'll try."  
Jewel's face looked relieved, but her eyes still held anger at Zaibach. "I'll take you back now," Kat said. She took Jewel's hand in hers and phased them out of the room.  
  
****  
I thought getting the information for Jewel would've been easy. But I was wrong. Zaibach had an upgraded security system, and it was top of the line. Best in its class, very hard to penetrate. In fact, I doubted that even if I was able to penetrate it I would live to tell the tale. All that I knew was that Zaibach wanted to keep something secret from us.  
Kat shook her head as she stood up. She stretched out her arms and legs and bent backwards, stretching her back. She looked glumly at the pile of books on the table that she had been occupying. It was amazing, a few hours of research turns into almost two whole day's worth of research.   
And all for nothing, she reminded herself. She had been looking through everything she could find on Jewel related things; about hybrids, prophecies, legends, history, lore, anything and everything that might refer to Jewel. Of course Kat knew this wasn't going to help Jewel any, what good would knowing about your past on Gaea do?   
She sighed and put a hand to her face. Two weeks ago she had promised Jewel that she would try her best to stop Zaibach from going on with their plans. But what Jewel really wanted was for a way so she could be sure that she had total control over her body. There was really no way to stop that process, in a way that Kat wouldn't kill Jewel.   
And so I go to researching her past, Kat thought bitterly. That won't help her any if Zaibach takes her. So why do I still research? She ran her hand through her hair in a frustrated way. Why persist on something that wouldn't help Jewel? Because, something inside of her said, it will help in the long run.   
Kat looked at the piles of books one last time before leaving the library, forever. As the metal doors slid shut behind her, she knew that if she wanted to find the answers Jewel and she both needed, she wouldn't need books to find them. No, the answers they wanted lay in only one other place. And that place… That place was a death wish.   
  
*~~*  
TBC… 


	15. Questions but No Answers

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do, however, own the new DS, Kat, Narisia, Blue, and Jewel. So if you wish to use them, please ask me know first!  
  
Author's Note: wow, 50 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Okay, in this chapter things might get a little confusing. Sorry if that happens, I'll try to make it as clear as possible without ruining the story. And things should get clearer in the next couple of chaps. I promise! Okay, now on to the story!  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Questions but No Answers  
  
Kat leaned back against the many pillows that were stacked up behind her. She sighed as she flipped through a book that was leaning against her legs. It was almost a week later. She had abandoned the library with a strange knowledge that she didn't need the information there. She hadn't been able to help Jewel so far.  
  
Except that she had located Folken's journals. She had found them in Zaibach's basement, at the bottom of a crate stuck in the farthest corner. Almost as if they didn't want people to find it. But even though Kat had found it, it was no help. She had gone through every single one, but nothing was even remotely related to Jewel.  
  
She sighed and closed the book. Instead she had retired researching and looking, and had just gone on the knowledge that someone around here would know. So she had just been reading myths and legends for fun, feeling very guilty about slacking off when she was supposed to be helping Jewel. She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand.  
  
Two in the morning. Dilandau hadn't come back from interrogating Van yet. That, for some unknown reason, bothered Kat. Sure Dilandau might've been the better fighter, sure he might be quicker then Van, and sure he might be stronger, but for some reason Van just gave Kat a weird feeling. She knew, in some corner of her mind, that Van was supposed to be dead.  
  
"I know he's dead. I remember his funeral, how happy Dilandau was," she whispered into the darkness of the room. But... Why was he back? How could he be back?  
  
Suddenly the room doors slid open. Kat turned to see Dilandau walk in. She smiled at him, suddenly very relieved that he was back. He paid no attention to her however. Before the doors closed Blue came running in. He ran up to Kat and jumped onto the bed, happily licking her face. Kat pushed him away gently and watched Dilandau with concerned eyes.  
  
He ignored her and went over to the dresser. He took out his flask and put it to his lips. He guzzled it and then stared at the mirror. Kat was slightly worried about this behavior. What was going on?  
  
****  
  
Jewel sat on her bed, looking at her window. It was a perfect night, clear, cool, and starry. Usually she would've been outside, lying on her back staring up at it. But no, this was Zaibach; she couldn't do that. Not without getting them mad at her and possibly taking her over.  
  
Her blood began to boil at that thought. How dare they do that to her! How dare they... She trailed off. As much as she didn't like Zaibach, and now as she hated them, she just seemed like she couldn't stay mad at them. Why? She wondered as she stared at the sky. Why?  
  
No answer came to her. No answer, no possible answer, nothing. She sighed and continued to stare out the window. Time would tell, time would tell.  
  
****  
  
A slim figure watched from a dark room. A full-length mirror stood before her, reflecting both Kat and Jewel's forms. The figure sighed and brushed her long lavender hair back, her golden eyes flashing. Oh, this Van would pay. He had messed everything up.  
  
She stood, her dark cloak flowing around her. Oh, this Van would pay. She hadn't killed him the first time for nothing. He was back, how she didn't know, but he would die, just like his predecessor. And she would make sure that he stayed dead this time.  
  
She looked at the mirror thoughtfully, almost as if she was observing something that no one else could see. Something complicated, something advanced, and so obscure it was almost impossible to think. Suddenly an insane smile lit her face. "So that's your secret, Van," she whispered, her voice silky and soft.  
  
She closed her eyes and remembered when she had first seen his arrival. She had been angry with herself for not finding him sooner, but she had also been shocked at this sudden event. Sure she was as powerful, maybe even more, then the Fates, but not even she had seen this.  
  
She had gone to him and tried to kill him. But once she set eyes on him she had known he wasn't the same Van she had killed three years ago. He was different... Not the same soul, the same look in his eyes. He was an imposter, a powerful one at that. She had tried to banish him, but he had somehow been able to deflect her attacks and turn them against her.  
  
She had barely escaped that fight alive. She was lucky to even survive it. But still, how Van had come here and how he had been able to almost kill her was a mystery. One that She would figure out. One that she would reveal.  
  
"For this I'll have to work beside the Dark Protector-Kat was her name? Yes... Kat... I'll have to work with her," she whispered. "But I can't go to her now. No, I'll have to bring her to me. I hope I can do that... I'm still so weak." She narrowed her eyes and brought her hands together. "No matter. I will bring her to me."  
  
****  
  
Kat was still watching Dilandau from her spot on the bed. He was sitting on the end of it, drinking his flask. He didn't seem to notice her there. Which was strange...  
  
Suddenly Kat felt a pull deep inside of her. It was strong, knocking the breath out of her and sending her reeling. She leaned forward and gave a loud, pain filled moan. There was another sharp pull, harder and deeper inside of her this time. She opened her mouth to scream as pain ripped through her.  
  
But she didn't get a chance to scream. Suddenly she faded from her spot on the bed, without a sound. Just simply faded from the spot. Dilandau turned at stared as Kat finished disappearing, a sad look inside his crimson eyes.  
  
Blue jumped up onto the bed where Kat had been and sniffed frantically around. Once he knew that she wasn't there, he looked at Dilandau expectantly. Dilandau shook his head. Blue suddenly looked like a young, lost child. He lifted his head to the sky and let loose a heart-yanking howl. It started from a low growl to a loud howl.  
  
As Blue continued this behavior, Dilandau soon joined in. Soon both were howling heart-wrenching notes. Both felt the pull deep inside of them. The pull of a loved one lost forever. Of one you know you'd never see again.  
  
****  
  
Kat looked up from her spot on the ground. She was in a new room, a dark room. There was almost nothing in the room except for a long table pushed up against the room with vials and all sorts of herbs and potions on it, a full-length mirror, and carved chair. And one person wearing dark cloths and a black cloak, with long lavender hair and pain-filled golden eyes...  
  
"Rika Avalon," Kat breathed. So many a time had she dreamed of the great Rika Avalon, the one who had killed Van, the one who had the powers of a Fate, the one who was almost a Fate herself. The golden eyed woman looked up at Kat.  
  
She was weak, that much was clear. But why would she risk almost killing herself to bring Kat to her... "Kat, I need your help," Rika whispered.  
  
"That much is obvious. Let me help you."  
  
Kat stood and walked over to Rika. She helped her up and into the carved chair. But as she did so, Kat had a feeling that she knew what this was about.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC...  
  
Author's Note: So sorry for the short chapter. I need the next one to be longer. But, thanks for all who have reviewed! Oh, and Rika Avalon belongs to me. I know she looks a lot like Victoria from "To Gaea Again" by CrimsonFire, but I promise you that she belongs to me and that she is stylized after CrimsonFire, who I put in my fic "Gemini". So I didn't steal her. Okay, with that said, I'd like everyone to know that I won't post chapter 16 until I get at least 65-70 reviews. Yes, yes, I know. How can I leave you off at a cliffhanger? Well, I'm sorry but I need something to keep y'all interested, don't I? Yes, I am evil, as many will say. But don't worry, the next chapter is ready to be posted once I get enough reviews! So review, and watch for the next chapter!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	16. Living Dead

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do, however, own Kat, the new DS, Narisia, Jewel, Rika Avalon, and Blue. If you'd like to use any of them, please let me know first!  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone! I ignored my own last Author's Note and posted this chap early! Yay, don't you all love me??? -Laughs- Kidding! Okay, now on to the chapter!  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Living Dead  
  
Well, thought Jewel. This is certainly different. It had been at least a week since Kat had disappeared. At least, that's what the Dragon Slayers were saying. Kat was apparently their Second in Command and had to attend all the training sessions along with the missions.  
  
And Jewel, knowing Kat, knew that if she was supposed to do something, she would do it. She would never just abandon it. But… Disappearing without a word, as much as Jewel could tell, was just not Kat. It wasn't like her. So that's why Jewel was slightly worried about her friend.  
  
But what was very different was that Jewel had been required at all training sessions. That kind of bothered her. Why would they want her at training sessions if she wasn't a Dragon Slayer, or even part of that division?  
  
Jewel entered the training room and was immediately attacked by the horrible smell of dried sweet, gym socks, and some other odor that Jewel didn't want to identify. How come it didn't smell this way when I first came here? She wondered as she almost gagged on the smell. How do they survive the smell?  
  
Now impressed by the Dragon Slayer's skill of ignoring painfully odorous things, she moved deeper into the huge training room, looking for Dilandau. He wanted to see her for some reason… She spotted him, talking to Quin. She moved up to them, quickly and unnoticed.  
  
Dilandau suddenly turned around, facing Jewel. And for the first time, Jewel noticed how his eyes reflected in the light, how his silver hair shone and how it moved when he moved, how his face seemed to become a mask, and mostly how much his eyes showed his tiredness. "You wanted me here?" Jewel asked, keeping her tone business like.  
  
"Yes. You will be attending our training sessions and participating in them." Clip, very business like.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because the Strategose has ordered it."  
  
"Oh. Well then, seeing as to I am supposed to stay here, what do I do?"  
  
Quick as a flash, Dilandau had Jewel's sword in his hand. He threw it at her. "Go spar with Elroy."  
  
Jewel caught her sword and glared at Dilandau. Suddenly her previous awe at him was changed into a small hate. God, he acted to superior! She hated that! She walked towards Elroy, who was located at the far back of the room. Let's see how he spars… She thought.  
  
****  
  
Kat sighed and put her chin in her hand. She had just heard the story of Rika Avalon, the woman with the powers of a Fate. Amazing was the one word that popped into Kat's head. Absolutely amazing. She watched Rika from her chair across from her. She seemed tired and weak, unlike the Rika Kat knew (well, somewhat).  
  
"So tell me why you use what seems to be the last amount of your powers just to get me here," Kat said.  
  
Rika gave her a small smile. "See, I need you help. Normally I wouldn't recruit help, but I now know that I will need all the help I can get."  
  
Kat quirked an eyebrow. "Now?"  
  
"Yes now. You may have been suffering memory lapses, missing memories, things that you remember but can't exactly. Those are all part of one being, one person. And that person is in your Zaibach."  
  
"Jewel?"  
  
"No, a child that fractured can not possibly wield this sort of power. No, oh no. This sort of power comes from someone who has powerful inborn magic and a very well educated mind. This is someone who you thought was dead… Someone I killed long ago." She spit the last words out like venom.  
  
"Van Fanel…"  
  
"Yes. Van Fanel, the late King of all Fanellia. Van Fanel, the one who has come back from the dead without notice. Van Fanel… The one who is not."  
  
Kat shook her head. Too many questions were popping into her head. "I don't follow you."  
  
"Think, girl, think! Van Fanel died in the battle against Fanellia. They found him beheaded. It looked like a very painfully but skillfully done death. All fingers pointed to Dilandau at the time, but everyone knew he couldn't have possibly done that. They all knew that he was there, watching Kat give her life to the Lost Protector.  
  
"And so three years went pass… Three years, with small wars and lots of conquering on Zaibach's part. But, think some more. You and the rest of the Protectors were thrown into those warp bubbles, the ones that imprisoned you for three years. And then, once you were gone, who comes back from the dead claiming that sorcery brought him back? Van Fanel.  
  
"And when he came back, every country seemed to want peace or an alliance with him. It was like they were mad. And so easily Van became the most powerful king in all the history of Gaea, and all in three months. Everything went quiet, nothing happened. Zaibach got restless, they wanted to know what was going on.  
  
"And so they sent out a party to search and destroy Fanellia, hoping to capture someone who knew about the things that were going on. And that's when you arrived."  
  
Kat was quiet for a second. "Fanel… What did you do when you first discovered her was back?"  
  
"I, naturally, went to kill him again. But as I battled him, he was able to deflect my magical attacks and use them against me. He even had some of his own. He beat me like a little girl, that day, and almost killed me. If I hadn't transported away, I'd be six feet under right now. But, just before I went, I heard him whisper something, something un-Fanel like. 'I have to deliver my message.'"  
  
Kat was practically speechless. That was definitely not like Fanel. "What… What do you think the message is?"  
  
Rika shrugged. "I don't know, but I quickly read his mind before I left. There was one thought in it. Zaibach and Protectors."  
  
Kat was shocked into silence. Fanel wanted to see her? But… Suddenly it hit her. Jewel had taken Fanel back to the camp, and she had claimed that it was easy. If she knew the real Van, he would've kill Jewel or gotten away miles before they had even reached the camp.  
  
He let her take him to the camp! She thought. Do deliver a message to me… But what's the message? Suddenly Rika's voice cut through her thoughts. "I don't have enough strength to go on. But I want you to take over my unfinished mission. I want you, Kat, last Protector, Daughter of the Dark Moon, to see what the message from Fanel is. And… If it involves the Dragon Slayers, bring them back, please."  
  
Kat nodded. "I will, you have my word on it."  
  
"Come here."  
  
Kat obliged.  
  
Rika put her hand on Kat's forehead. "A gift from me. Use it wisely."  
  
Suddenly electricity shot from Rika's hand and into Kat's body. It tingled and shocked her in tiny amounts as she felt it absorb into her body. When the electricity stopped, Rika relaxed back into her chair and Kat looked at her. A mutual understanding went through them, and Kat used her dark powers to transport herself out of Rika's place.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC….  
  
Author's Note: Well, how'd you like it??? Please review to let me know! Oh, and I'd like to apologize to CrimsonFire, I told her I'd have this out on the 23rd, but I didn't. That's because my grandfather died and I was helping getting everything in order. I totally forgot about posting the chapter, since I was getting up early and going to sleep real late. But I hope you all understand. Anyways, review and the next chapter should be out soon!!! 


	17. Recruits and Puzzles

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do, however, own Jewel, Narisia, Blue, Rika, Kat, and the new DS. If you wish to use any of them, please ask me first.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter has been delayed, I was sick and in bed since last Friday. But now that I'm able to write, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Oh, and don't kill me because it's a cliff hanger… In several places. Um, besides that, I have picked the first few winners of my "Shadow Warrior Auditions". And they are, Otaku Pitcher, Kay Noel, Kayano Imatou, MagicMan, RDC, Rydia, Rogue Fox, and last but not least, NeoStar22. Yes, yes, a lot of people, I know. But you'll see why I picked them. ^_^ Okay, now go read and please review!!!  
  
  
  
Chapter Seventeen: Recruits and Puzzles  
  
Jewel was standing in the dark field, watching Dilandau. They were to attack a small village on the southwest border of Fried. As Jewel understood it, they were with holding payments due to Zaibach for use of Zaibach's fields.  
  
And so they were going to attack the village and destroy them. Typical Zaibach, Jewel thought disgusted. "Kat would have been pumped right about now," Dilandau suddenly said.  
  
Jewel, who was standing only a few feet away from him, assumed her was talking to her. "She liked battle?" She asked, a little shocked. Kat didn't seem like the kind of person who loved hurting innocent people.  
  
"She may be a Protector, but when a battle was approaching you couldn't get her to stay still. And if there was the prospect of fire…" A wishful look came over Dilandau. "Her eyes would light up with their own fire and she would get this dreamy look on her face."  
  
Jewel grinned to herself. "Sounds like her."  
  
An odd look came over Dilandau's face. "Yeah…"  
  
Jewel caught the look and suddenly felt like a lost child. She looked down at the ground to hide a tear slipping from her eye. "She's been gone a long time… Do you think she's alright?"  
  
Dilandau suddenly snorted. "Stupid question."  
  
Then Dilandau started to move towards the village. That was the signal to move out. Jewel gave a half smile. "Yes, a stupid question," she repeated softly, whipping away the lone tear and moving out.  
  
Jewel stood in the middle of the burning village, in what she assumed was the Town Square. So far everything was going according to plan, she supposed. Personally, she hated this. Being out in the middle of an innocent village, killing the inhabitants just for money… It was mass murder.  
  
And so that's when she took to saving as many lives as she could. Sure, she was part of Zaibach. Sure, she wasn't obeying orders. Sure, she was a Dragon Slayer and sure she could get killed very easily. But she didn't want to be apart of a mass murder, especially one that included innocents.  
  
Her eyes stung with tears. Why was she crying? Was it because of all the smoke? Or was it because she had witnessed a killing of a family with young children, by a Dragon Slayer who refused to show his face and hid in the smoke? The unfairness of this all… It was overwhelming. Who could do this, live like this?  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a child's scream. High pitched and frightened, it seemed to be calling out to someone to save her. Her heart filled with anger, Jewel turned towards the source of the scream. Not only a few feet away, there stood Dilandau, covered in ash and some burns, sword held high over his head, ready to strike… But he wasn't. He wasn't moving.  
  
He stood over the child-who, from what Jewel could see, had dark brown hair- frozen. His eyes were wide with a sort of fear that Jewel had never before seen. It was weird, different…  
  
The fire was getting out of control. It was raging, and it was especially hot where Dilandau and Jewel were. The flames were high, looking as if they were licking the sky with their fiery tongues. They slithered like snakes towards Dilandau and the girl, like stealthy wolves waiting for the kill, ready to pounce.  
  
But then… Was Jewel imagining it? There was a form in the fire, getting more defined as the fire grew, becoming more solid. Slowly, it came out from its fiery shell and showed itself to Jewel and Dilandau. There, standing behind the girl, with the flames creating a wall behind her, stood Kat-dressed in tall black boots, a short black skirt (think Sailor Scouts), a black halter top, with black driving gloves on and her hair in a high ponytail.  
  
She stood, looking majestic, and strangely like an angel warrior… One who comes down from the heavens to protect those innocents. So strange, was the only thing Jewel could think of. Strange. The sparks and smoke mingled with the wind and blew through their hair. It was deathly quiet, no one spoke, no one moved.  
  
Then Dilandau sheathed his sword and slowly started towards Kat. Jewel, snapping out of her reverie, saw her chance and ran towards the little girl. She skillfully scooped her up into her arms and ran the opposite directions.  
  
But as she ran, she heard Dilandau mutter something to Kat. "You always have a way of popping up in unusual places," he said. But as he said that, Jewel realized that the girl she was holding in her arms looked strangely like Kat… "Memories always save us," she whispered.  
  
****  
  
Kat gave an aspirated sigh. She had been back for only a week, and already Zaibach had given her "make up time". They needed new soldiers, and she was to train them. Luckily there were only two to train today. Or, as Kat liked to think of it, only double the more work. "Okay, let's try this from the top people!" She called.  
  
A boy with slightly longer-then shoulder-length light brown hair, 5'7", and cloudy blue-gray eyes stepped forward. "Xenon DaBona."  
  
Then a girl, 5"4', with shoulder length black hair with neon green tips, and hunter green eyes stepped forward. "Kendall Woodlen."  
  
Kat knew by now that both recruits were good choices. Kendall was short, with a bit better muscle build then Xenon. Now Xenon had a good trim and looked very agile. But there was something about Xenon that Kat couldn't quite put her finger on…  
  
"Ready?" Kat didn't wait for a reply. "Bow, draw, attack!"  
  
Both students whirled around to face each other. They bowed, then drew their swords. At first they just stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Then finally Xenon made it. It was a good start, Kat thought. He had good speed and the right angle, but his form was terrible. Kendall was able to deflect the attack and come back with a stronger one.  
  
But as things went, they didn't last very long. They were unseasoned, their muscles untoned and no experience. They only had what they had been taught and their instincts to fall back on. Which was okay, but not in Zaibach.  
  
In the end Xenon disarmed Kendall with a well-aimed thrust, but Kendall came back by tripping Xenon up. Then Xenon dropped his sword as he fell, and Kendall almost beheaded herself trying to catch it. Kat sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'll give you this much, you're both gifted at dueling. But you need a lot more training and a whole lot more experience. Okay, tomorrow, here, eighteen hundred hours. The one to be late will get a private session, with Lord Dilandau," Kat shouted. Both nodded and Kat left the room without another word.  
  
Xenon got up off the floor and dusted himself off. Kendall, who was already up, walked over to him and handed his sword back. Xenon took the plain sword and sheathed it. Then he stuck out his hand and smiled at Kendall. "Nice match."  
  
Kendall's eyes darted over his hand before she took it. "Any good at archery?"  
  
Xenon shook his head. "'Fraid not. Never had talent or enough strength for it. I'm more into the books and libraries."  
  
"I see. It looks from here on out we're to be training together."  
  
"Yeah, it does look that way."  
  
Kendall threw back her dark hair with a toss of her head. "So where you from? You have good arms, so I'm guessing you're from a farm. Am I right?"  
  
Xenon smiled. "Yeah, you are. On the border of Freid."  
  
"Ah. You had sisters, I'm guessing."  
  
Xenon looked a little shocked. "Four in fact. How'd you-"  
  
"Lack of scars, and that you're way too nice to have brothers."  
  
"Quite the observer, you are."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"So tell me, where are you from?"  
  
Kendall visibly stiffened. "From the Mystic Moon. I was brought here on a wing and a prayer, you could say. Bad family."  
  
Xenon nodded, and sensing that this was not a topic they should discuss, quickly changed the subject. "Nice sword."  
  
Kendall looked down at the sword she was holding. "Thanks." The sword was nice, with a perfectly balanced blade, super sharp, and a solid gold hilt. The hilt had vines engraved in it, and where blossoms were supposed to be there were fairly large opals. And the butt of the sword was a diamond. Along the blade there were vines also, and an inscription that Kendall couldn't read.  
  
"So want to grab something to eat with me? I'm famished, and I'm guessing that it's dinner time," Xenon asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Together the two left the training room, talking about various things.  
  
****  
  
Jewel was sitting in her room; idly flipping through a book Quin had leant her. She really hated to say it, but she was actually growing found of the assortment of Slayers. Even though she thought of them as killers and mad men… they were good friends and a fun time waiting to happen.  
  
She sighed and looked down at the book. She supposed that they were okay and they were just following orders… Suddenly her eyes widened in shock. There, on the page of the book… She jumped off the bed, grabbed the book, and ran out of the room.  
  
Maybe this was the key…  
  
****  
  
A small group of people stood in a field around a very small campfire. There were two men, and four women. They all had dirty faces, but as you looked at them you could tell that they were all there for the same reason.  
  
One woman, 5'9" with a quiver of arrows on her back and a bow, stood apart from the small group. She had a warrior's stature, even though she had little muscle, there was a feeling that she had the power of a thousand warriors within her. She also held a sense of power about her. Her long jet-black hair swayed in the slight breeze, and her crimson eyes glowed eerily in the night. People knew her as Cle.  
  
What seemed to be the leader of the group, a woman who was sleek and tall, with dark pink hair that had bright white highlights in it, sat nearest the fire. Her light pink eyes held an odd emotion in them, her high jaw line was set, and her thin lips were pulled into a frown. The others knew her as Kianna.  
  
The two men stood side by side behind the leader. One, 5'8", with brown eyes, thin black framed glasses, and kind of stocky, with fluffy chocolate colored hair, seemed to be thinking of something. He was known as Brandon. The other man, who looked about the oldest (25), stood next to Brandon. He was 6'2", short blonde hair, was sinewy and had enough muscle for him to fight with. He was known as Josh.  
  
The last two females stood a part from each other. One was 5'6", with shoulder blade length dirty blonde hair and gray eyes that seemed to have tons of other colors mixed in with it. She was slim, but looked strong. Her name was Vixen.  
  
The last woman was 5'4", with shoulder length dark brown hair, and crystal clear blue eyes. She was thin, but held an odd sense of magic within her. She was known as Rydia.  
  
Kianna looked up at her small group. All were wearing Fanellian crests upon their armor. "We're near our pray. Soon we'll have out prize back," she said.  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement. It wouldn't be long before the raptor felt the pain of being hunted. Not long…  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…  
  
Author's Note: Okay, cliff hanger in several places. Didn't know I could do that now, did ya? Well, I have! And, just for information, I still have places for people in this story. Oh yeah, and I'm not posting until I get… Hm…At least 60 reviews for this! 60 or more and I will be happy! Okay, now for the character info.  
  
Rydia = Rydia  
  
Vixen = Rogue Fox  
  
Cle = Kayano Imatou  
  
Josh = NeoStar22  
  
Brandon = MagicMan  
  
Kianna = RDC  
  
Kendall = Kay Noel  
  
Xenon = Otaku Pitcher  
  
Review please or else I won't post again!!! Thanks! 


	18. Wishes

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Jewel, Narisia, Kat, Blue, Rika and the new DS. If you wish to use any of them, please let me ask me first.  
  
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Alright, chapter 18! This is my longest story yet! Yay! The people I have picked for this chapter are Chichirui, Shadow Angel, Smoke Girl, Lightning Wolf, Magical Dream, Rei Lynn, and Dilanda. Thanks to all who have reviewed! I hope you all like this chapter too! (Go to the bottom for the author who is the character in this chapter)  
  
  
  
Chapter Eighteen: Wishes  
  
Kat looked at the book in her hands. She sighed and looked at Jewel, who was sprawled at her feet. "Well… I can say this. It certainly opens up a whole new avenue for us. I mean, this has so much more information then I could ever find. It's amazing," Kat said.  
  
"Yeah. But I don't get the last part. 'The soldiers with heart, have been dark; but the man with tea, will set things free.'"  
  
Kat shook her head sadly. "I don't know about that either. But we'll find the answers."  
  
Jewel got to her feet and smiled. "Yeah."  
  
And with that she left Kat's room. Kat looked back at the book as the door clicked shut. "We will," she whispered.  
  
****  
  
Rika sighed and pushed a strand of lavender hair out back into place. "There, he comes forth," she whispered to herself. She regarded the image in the mirror in front of her with interest. She was strong now, but she wasn't strong enough. She would have to watch how the Moon Daughter handled herself and the upcoming situations, and then give her judgement.  
  
****  
  
Kat looked upon her small group of warriors proudly. "I am very proud to tell you all that you are now, officially, part of the Dragon Slayers," she told them. An 5'6" female with long dark brown hair that ended mid- back and had red highlights and tips, gray eyes with a tint of red in them, slightly tanned skin and a nice frame, gave the slightest of slight smiles. She was Zaiyane Lunabellek, a girl who liked to remain silent. Xenon and Kendall grinned.  
  
Rei Lynn, a 5'9" female with short light brown hair with red highlights, fit with an athletic build, light brown eyes with red contacts, cheered loudly. Standing next to her was Lacey Canell, 5'8" with long gray hair held back in a ponytail, smoke gray eyes, pale skin, and wearing light gray robes, started jumping around the room with joy, yelling her happiness. Cameron Spiel, a 5'7" female with shoulder length black hair, gray eyes, and a slim form and strangely dark red lips, began to whistle very loudly and clap.  
  
Nebula, a 5'3" woman with ash blonde hair, hazel-emerald eyes, muscular legs, slim figure and nice upper curves, crossed her arms across her chest and grinned broadly. Heather Permina, 5'5" with dark brown hair that came just below her shoulder blades, light brown eyes, a pretty face, and a fragile yet strong looking frame, cheered loudly and started jumping up and down. Sara Kinden, 5'4" with short light blue hair, baby blue eyes, and a thin yet muscular frame, thrust her first into the air.  
  
"Now, you will be training, eating and executing orders and missions along with the Dragon Slayers. You will be with them in battle, in crisis, in death, in life. They will be your family, and you will support them and look out for each other. You will listen to your commander and obey him; you will follow orders without protest or question. And most importantly, you will have no other family outside of Zaibach.  
  
"You will sleep and shower in a different area then the Dragon Slayers. That will be shown to you later. With everything said, I want you all to go to the main training room and begin your session with the Dragon Slayers," Kat told them.  
  
Everyone nodded and headed out of the room, smiling and laughing and talking excitedly. Kat waited until the door had shut before she turned to the shadows. "What do you think?" She asked them.  
  
"They look good. You honed in their talent very well," A voice replied.  
  
"You think they'll survive the first mission?"  
  
"I had fifteen original Slayers. Only six came out alive."  
  
"Wow… I hope they make it. They're good kids."  
  
Dilandau stepped out of the shadows and came up to Kat. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, we're late for the training session."  
  
Kat nodded and followed him out of the training room.  
  
****  
  
The small group of bandits was spread out in the trees, watching the Zaibach castle. There were no guards, but it looked heavily guarded on the inside. "We'll go stealth," Kianna told the group. They all nodded. Only one remained still. And only one had other ideas.  
  
****  
  
"Tell me something. How come you didn't come after me when I left?" Kat asked. She and Dilandau were in their room, lying in bed. Kat had her head on Dilandau's chest, she knew he was slipping off to sleep. But she couldn't sleep. One question bugged her…  
  
"Because," came Dilandau's sleepy reply.  
  
"Because why? I want to know, Dilandau."  
  
"Fanel told me."  
  
"Van?"  
  
"No, Fanel. He told me."  
  
Kat was confused. "Why not come after me?"  
  
"Fanel said once you were transported that you would be killed. I kept visiting him trying to get more information about your transportation for weeks, but he wouldn't tell."  
  
Now this was interesting, Kat thought. She stroked Blue's head; the wolf had taken to constantly staying at her side since she had come back. "Oh, I see."  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Just curious. Good night."  
  
Dilandau didn't reply. Kat heard his soft, even breathing and knew he was asleep. He must really be tired if I got those answers out of him without a fight, she thought. Dilandau almost never answers questions like those straight forward. I wonder…  
  
Kat waited some more until she was sure Dilandau was asleep. Then she silently slipped out of bed and pulled on a silk midnight blue robe over her skimpy sleep shorts and shirt. She headed towards the door and silently opened it. Blue saw her leaving and jumped off the bed and came towards her. "No Blue, you can't come," she hissed at him.  
  
Blue ignored her and slipped out. Kat rolled her eyes and then slipped through the door herself, shutting it firmly. Then she and Blue made their way down to the dungeons. Once inside the cool area, Kat pulled her robs tighter around her. It was colder down here then up in the castle.  
  
"Where's Fanel, Blue?" She quietly asked the wolf. Dilandau had mentioned that Blue had come with him whenever he went into the dungeons. Blue, hearing his master's request trotted off down the dark corridor. Kat followed behind him. They walked a while, heading towards the very back of the dungeons.  
  
Finally Blue stopped and clawed at a door. It was a simply cell, three brick walls and the cage-like front. Nothing special, fancy or even remotely nice, just a simple, it-will-do cell. Kat looked within its dark depths, looking for a familiar shape. There, it was lying on the small cot, unmoving.  
  
Kat went to the door and put her hand up against the lock, silently cursing herself for not carrying an extra set of keys. She gave herself a mental shake and reminded herself of the powers she was given. So, Kat closed her eyes and her hand glowed for a second. When she removed her hand, the door swung open with a small creak.  
  
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, allowing for Blue to come in with her. She heard it click close and knew that it had locked again. But that didn't matter now, she was with her prey and she needed answers. Silently she crept towards the figure on the bed, silent and careful, senses on high in case of some sort of ambush.  
  
But as she neared Fanel, she realized that he was sitting on his cot, his pants and shirt town in various places, his face a mess with dried blood and bruises, and his body stiff. The thing that threw her off, however, was that he was holding a cup of brown liquid that smelled strangely like tea…  
  
"I was wondering when you would return from your encounter with Rika Avalon," Fanel spoke, his voice strangely soft and un-Van like. Kat stopped in her tracks, only a few feet away from him.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that I knew you would come to me, after you had encountered Miss Rika Avalon. I must admit, I didn't think it would take you this long though."  
  
Kat narrowed her eyes. She had a feeling… "Tell me, Fanel, who are you exactly?"  
  
Fanel gave a soft chuckle. "I am no one, yet I am everyone. I am nothing, yet everything. What am I?"  
  
A riddle, how clever, Kat thought. "Easy, a spirit."  
  
"Right. Your husband didn't get that, so instead he beat me."  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
"Okay, let's try this. Why are you here?"  
  
"I am here because of the future. The future where one Queen rules all, and no one dares defy her in fear of being killed. No one can escape or run from her, for she is everywhere."  
  
"Just tell me, no riddles. Unlike my husband, I have little patience for games.  
  
Fanel turned his eyes to look at Kat. They were strangely bright. "I am one of the Guardians of Time, I look into the past, present and future and make sure nothing goes wrong. I almost never interfere, except when the fate of Gaea is in the balance and no one can stop what happens. Only then do I get involved.  
  
"In the future, one girl will become Queen of all Gaea, not through government or by Gaea's choice, but by power. She will control Gaea herself with her powers of Infinity. At first her visions of a better Gaea will be pure, but her powers will slowly consume her and her visions will be not of her own, but of her power's. She will become a slave to the Infinity Powers, a puppet, and she will do their bidding.  
  
"Once she is in control of Gaea, she begins to slowly drain the planet of its life. She uses Gaea's internal powers for her own, using them to power her own powers. That act slowly kills Gaea. Thought many will insurgence against her, but they will all fail. Because of her Infinity powers, she can quickly kill everyone who rises up against her. Soon those who are left will learn and try their best to run or hide from her.  
  
"But in the end she will succeed in destroying Gaea, and Earth. For Gaea will explode, killing the remnants of Gaea. The pieces of Gaea will fly towards Earth and once they hit Earth, she too will explode. There will be nothing left of the two planets except for an asteroid field. I came here to stop that."  
  
Kat remained quiet, taking in all the information. She had a feeling she knew who the girl was… "Tell me, the Infinity Powers are the powers that infest a child while its still in the womb, and they take it over. And they way to tell who the Powers have infected is to watch the suspected child and see if they transform into a cat hybrid, right?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"And if you don't want the Powers to have the child, you kill them before they discover their powers."  
  
Fanel nodded.  
  
Kat looked him in the eye. "Then, you, a Guardian of Time, came here in the form of a past great king, to get the people of Gaea to rise up against Zaibach. Because the Power's Choice was in Zaibach and you hoped to kill the Choice. You came here to kill Jewel."  
  
Fanel remained silent. Kat knew what that meant. She was right, he was here to kill Jewel. Kat lowered her eyes to the ground, turned and phased through the cell along with Blue. Slowly the two of them began to head down the corridor.  
  
Fanel got up and ran to the cell door. "Don't let foolishness get in the way of your duty, Moon Daughter!" He yelled after her fading form. Kat ignored him and kept walking. Fanel sighed and went back to his cot, sipping his tea.  
  
But a figure cloaked in the darkness watched both forms disappear into the darkness. A tear slid from her eye. How could they stop this from happening, and spare a life?  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC….  
  
Author's Note: Well, that's it folks! Yes, a cliffhanger, I know. I'm evil and mean. Sorry for that, but I have to keep you interested, right? Okay, I'm picking a few more characters for the 19th chapter, and that's it! I'll delete the auditions once I'm done, but I'll post the last few winners before I do. Thanks for reading, and review please! Oh yeah, below are the authors who are characters in the chapter.  
  
-ShadowKat  
  
Chichirui = Cameron Spiel  
  
Smoke Girl = Lacey Canell  
  
Lightning Wolf = Nebula  
  
Magical Dream = Heather Permina  
  
Rei Lynn = Rei Lynn  
  
Dilanda = Sara Kinden  
  
Shadow Angel = Zaiyane Lunabellek 


	19. History

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Kat, Jewel, Narisia, Blue, Rika, and the new DS. If you wish to use them, please ask me first.  
  
Chapter Nineteen: Past Lives  
  
All of the Dragon Slayers sat together at a table in the mess hall, eating a quiet dinner. Their second in command, Kat, had given them the rest of the day off and half of tomorrow too. They were still in shock of that change, since Dilandau had just told them that they were to work hard tomorrow. Finally Sara cracked under the silence. "Well, can we at least strike up a simple conversation?" She asked, aspirated.  
  
Rei looked at her. "No."  
  
"Come on! Doesn't anyone have something to share? Their past, life or something?!"  
  
Nebula sighed. "Let's do this, everyone tell your past when we get to you. And you have to tell, because you can't pass. Anything said doesn't go out of this room, understood? Okay, let's start with Sara."  
  
Sara grumbled unhappily. "Fine. I grew up in a tavern, I was an only child. So when my parents died, I took over the bar. I've been a bar person for a couple of years, I was 13 when I took over, so I've been there for 5 years."  
  
Sara looked at Cameron, who was happily chewing away at her meal. "Um, I was raised in Zaibach, and I was an only child. I was taught how to fight and do magic at an early age, so I used to go around our small village challenging all the boys; I won all fights. Then when I was 16 I decided I wanted to be a Dragon Slayer, so I came here. Um, that was a year ago."  
  
Rei was next. "I lived in Austria until I was 14. That's when my parents split, and I didn't really understand and I was angry at them, so I came here. Of course I'm 17 now."  
  
Lacy looked up from her past time, swirling around the liquid in her cup. "My turn? Alright, I grew up in a village of witches. I happily took on their teachings and learned their magic. But when I was 10, my own powers began to evolve and the witches in my village couldn't teach me anything else, so I left to help develop my powers. Now I'm here, at the age of 16."  
  
Heather looked at the table. "I'm from the Mystic Moon. I lived with my parents until I was 6, then they split up. I lived with my mom, but it wasn't easy. I hated living without dad, and I couldn't visit him. So when I turned 15 I wishes that I could escape somewhere. And I was brought here. I stayed with a nice family in Zaibach for two years, then came here."  
  
Heather looked to her side at Kendall. "Well, I'm from the Mystic Moon also. I hated my family; they were terrible. My parents never paid attention to me and my two older brothers were constantly ganging up on me. But in school I had really good grades, I could never figure out how that worked, I didn't even put any effort into studying.  
  
"But then, it was a rainy day and everything came crashing down on me. I had finally had enough of my family, so I ran away. While I was running through the rain, a pillar of light came down and took me here. I've been in Zaibach for a while, I think about a year."  
  
Everyone nodded; they sympathized Kendall. She had had a tough life. Nebula suddenly snapped out of her musings. "Right, my turn. Um, well I too came from Earth. I lived in one place my whole life, and I was basically just jumping around from here to there, doing various things. I really don't want to list all of them, it'll take too long." She chuckled. "But I too was taken here a few months ago. I came here and here I am."  
  
Zai looked up form her water. "Well, I came from a Noble family in Zaibach. When I was 9 my father found out about my magical powers, and he began to beat me, saying that I was a disgrace to our family and all of Zaibach. He even tried to kill me once.  
  
"Finally my mother took me to a secretive monastery, away from my father. Years later my father killed the rest of my father. I vowed revenge against him and anyone who was related to him. I'm going to get my revenge."  
  
"Wow, tough life. I'm sorry," Nebula said. Zai smiled and nodded her thanks.  
  
Now everyone was focused on Xenon. He was strangely quiet, and his face was hidden. "Come on, Xenon. Tell us about your past, it can't be that bad," Sara said.  
  
Xenon slowly raised his head. "I grew up in a family with four sisters. They were constantly being annoying, worrying about boys or make- up or their clothes or hair. I came to hate femaleness, I still do. I had a good childhood, ignoring my sisters and all, I used to go out to our stable and ride our horse, Ryder.  
  
"But then one day while I was on Ryder, my oldest sister came out and screamed because I was riding a muddy Ryder. Ryder got scared and threw me. While I was recovering from the fall, Ryder came galloping past me and stepped on my arm, breaking it. Ever since then I've had a fear of horses.  
  
"When I was 16, I was betrothed to a money oriented man, whom I hated. So, since I didn't want to be married to him, I turned and ran to Zaibach. I've hidden my identity and I've become a Dragon Slayer."  
  
Everyone stared at Xenon. They all were shocked speechless. This was certainly… New. Some of them had suspected that Xenon was just weird because he had freaked out when they had started talking about clothes or make-up. But now they saw why.  
  
"Well, that's certainly… New." Nebula managed to say.  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Um, so, some of us have mentioned powers. Anyone want to offer theirs?" Sara said quickly, trying to smooth over the awkward touch.  
  
Rei was the first to speak up. "Well I can do a few spells and junk. But mostly I can change my form, into black dragon with red spikes down my back."  
  
This shocked even more people. Zai took the time to speak up. "Really?! I can change into a giant phoenix! And I'm a powerful wizard; at least that's what I'm told. My powers mainly involve the elements, thought. But I also can talk with any creature and sooth them with my voice or flute. But I'm better with talking to dragons."  
  
At this most people fell out of their chairs of shock. Rei grinned evilly. "Too many Metamorphs here!"  
  
It took a few minutes before the next person spoke up, which was Cameron. "I can USE BLACK MAGIC!" She screeched. Everyone just sorta rolled their eyes at her sudden outburst; they were used to it by now.  
  
"Well, I have dreams and then they happen. Kind of like that Hitomi girl's powers, only I have them in my sleep. And I can also control ice, anything with ice I can control." Nebula said.  
  
"I have a few magical powers. I can create any kind of weapon I want, and I can transform things into other things, no matter how small or big. Even people." Heather added.  
  
"I don't have any powers." Sara said, a little glad and a little jealous of the others.  
  
"Yeah, me neither." Xenon and Kendall said together.  
  
Lacey was the last to speak up. "I can manipulate the elements, rise the dead and summon demons, though I'm not that good at controlling them."  
  
Everyone turned and looked at her oddly. "But I didn't bring back Fanel," she added quickly, catching onto the others. They all knew about the past king coming back from life. It was one of the mysterious most of them were trying to solve.  
  
Everyone was quiet for a few minutes. Finally Kendall stood and stretched. "Well, I'm tired. I'm going to turn in. See ya," she said. And with that she left the mess hall. After her departure, the others broke off in groups, all doing different things. Finally the mess hall was empty.  
  
****  
  
"I can't believe you gave them the day off! They needed to work, their skills have become terrible and their focus isn't on their work! They are lacking off and need to get with the program!" Dilandau yelled angrily.  
  
Kat simply rolled her eyes. Dilandau was going to yell himself hoarse over some stupid thing. She got up out of her chair and walked over to him and put her finger against him lips, shushing him. "I talked with Fanel last night. And he told me something… This might affect everyone."  
  
Dilandau looked shocked. "What?"  
  
"He told me everything. He's a Guardian of Time, Dilandau. He has come here because Jewel is the Choice, and she will kill Gaea and Earth. He told me, he wants me to stop Jewel. He wants me to kill her."  
  
"And why do you believe him?"  
  
"I believe him because I am a Protector, I am suppose to protect Gaea from demise. And I just have this feeling… We have to trust him and help him."  
  
"You're going to trust Fanel just because you have a feeling? And because he told you Gaea was going to be destroyed? Why do such a… Such a stupid thing?"  
  
Kat put a hand on his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. "Because this feeling that I have tells me that it will happen. Fanel didn't just come back from the dead to cause us trouble. He came back to warn us."  
  
Dilandau put his hand on top of hers and gave it a slight squeeze. "If this requires that you die one more time, I am going to have to kill Fanel myself."  
  
Kat grinned. "I don't think I'll have to die. But I need you to help me with this. Jewel is the Choice, that means that you need to help me figure out a way to not kill her but return her to her regular self."  
  
"Alright."  
  
****  
  
"Why did she call us here in the middle of the night?" Sara asked sleepily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Kat had called all of the new Dragon Slayers together in the training room just fifteen minutes ago, waking them up at two in the morning.  
  
"Maybe because she's disappointed in our work lately and wants to kill us off?" Rei suggested sarcastically.  
  
Nebula rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Rei. Nice pajamas by the way."  
  
Rei grinned evilly. She was wearing red shorts with flames at the bottom and a black tank top with, of course, the single flame on it. "Thanks. I want to sleep in what I like, so that way my dreams have different ways of killing my victims with my favorite thing."  
  
Heather shook her head. Just then Kat walked in, along with a girl that all had seen but never talked too. "Everyone, I'm glad you could make it on such a short notice. This is Jewel. She's also a Dragon Slayer but she is only used for important missions," Kat said motioning to Jewel. Everyone remained silent.  
  
"The reason why I called you here is because I know you all have powers; and I know that you don't really know how to harness them and use them to your advantage. Although you believe you have mastered them, you really haven't. So, since in the next few days you are going to go on your first mission-and since most new recruits don't make it back-I want to be sure that you all will and that you are in full control of your powers so you can use them in battle. You never know when they'll come in handy."  
  
This shocked a couple of people, how could Kat know this? "I know because I too have powers. I'm sure you all have heard of the Protectors of Gaea. Well, I'm one of them, and I have the powers over the Dark Moon, meaning that I can control the dark side of the moon's powers, phase through walls, and I can even use telepathy.  
  
"I'm here because in the future, you'll need to rely on not only your powers, but your teammates. Since the other Slayers are a team and know each other well and each other's strengths and weaknesses, I thought that if I trained you together, worked on your powers with you, that you would become an even better team then the Slayers. Can you do that, can you try?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," they all said.  
  
"Alright, let's get started. Jewel you'll take Sara, Xenon, Heather, Rei, and Zaiyane. I'll take Lacey, Nebula, Cameron, and Kendall."  
  
Everyone separated and went to their respected trainer. Once everyone was organized, the training began. Kat sat Nebula and Cameron down, and Lacy and Kendall. She ran between the two pairs, supervising their actions, giving tips, showing different tactics, and helping them. Jewel had Rei and Zaiyane get together; Sara, Xenon and Heather were also together. Jewel, who had no idea how to teach people with powers, somehow was able to teach the others, doing the same thing as Kat.  
  
Finally, five hours later, Kat released the Slayers. They had done well, already they were farther ahead then they had been when she had first met them. "Jewel, I'm impressed. I didn't know you knew how to teach magic," Kat said as she and Jewel were exiting the training room. Once out the door, Kat turned and started heading towards her room. Jewel was walking away when she replied, "Neither did I. It's like it just came to me…"  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC….  
  
Author's Note: Hi everyone! Yes, I know, I didn't include any new characters in this chapter, but don't worry! There will be more new characters, I just didn't think that it would be best to put them in this chapter. The characters will appear in the next chapter, chapter 20! Wow, this is the longest progressing story I have yet! Thanks to everyone who has supported this story by reviewing! It really means a lot to me! Alright, review, tell me what you think. Until the next chapter, ja!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	20. Sources

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the plot line of Escaflowne. I do own Narisia, Jewel, the new DS, Kat, Blue, and Rika. If you'd like to use any of them, please ask me first.  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Yeah, yeah, the last chapter stunk, I know. But, what you all said about the power issues are fixed. Okay, so they weren't an issue in the first place. I just felt that I should give everyone a "sample" of the character's powers. Um, really the only super powerful people in this fic are Lacy, the Protectors, and of course, Jewel. Alright, the last of the characters have been added, and they are listed at the bottom. Have fun reading, and please review!  
  
Chapter Twenty: Sources  
  
Vince Draymar watched from the shadows of the window as his prey moved around inside. At the age of seventeen, he was the best mercenary that Zaibach had ever seen, let alone had. He pushed his short dark brown hair out of his icy blue eyes and slipped farther into the window. No one would be able to do that unless they had a sleek build, which-fortunately-he had.  
  
Silently he made mental notes on how his prey acted, how she paced the room, how she moved, her stature, everything he could. It was very essential to him to gather everything he could on his prey before moving in. Only a novice would go in first thing. And he was no novice, at anything.  
  
****  
  
Jewel paced her room, sweet dripping from her brow. How long would it take them? How long would it take her? She sighed and rubbed her face tiredly. How long could she keep this up? Not very long, it was too stressful to keep everything silent. She couldn't keep it up; she had to brake…  
  
Suddenly a spasm of pain washed over her, and she doubled over. "No, no…" she whispered weakly. God, where was Kat?! Hadn't she called her minutes ago? Another spasm of pain took Jewel away from her thoughts. "No," she said as a sudden blue ring was released from her body.  
  
****  
  
Kat's eyes flew open and she shot up into a sitting position. Her hand flew out and grabbed Dilandau's hand, which was by her. Dilandau, awoken by the sudden feeling of Kat's hand on his arm, shot up also. He turned and looked at Kat beside him. "What's the matter?" He asked her. "They're alive," she whispered.  
  
****  
  
The next morning everyone crawled into the mess hall. It was early in the morning, and they had a mission to do. It seemed like only yesterday they had two days off, but it had really been two weeks. "Oh man, what's WRONG WITH MY POWERS?" Cameron burst, pointing at an apple and trying to get to fly towards her. It didn't work, and the apple remained in place.  
  
"I can answer that," Kat said as she walked into the mess hall. Everyone turned and looked at her. "All of your powers have been dampened. I don't know how, but I can tell you that you still have you powers, only they're not as strong as before."  
  
"Are your powers…?" Sara asked hesitantly.  
  
In reply Kat looked at the apple Cameron was trying to get and created an energy field around it. She lifted the apple into the air, and sent it flying towards Cameron. Cameron caught it and took a bit into it once Kat had let down the energy shield. "My powers aren't affected because I use Gaea's spirit as my source of energy. You all are born with the powers, so they operate on your energy. A simple spell of great power could easily dampen all of your magical capabilities without you noticing."  
  
With that, she took an orange for herself and left the mess hall. But before she left she called over her shoulder, "Be in the hanger at nineteen hundred hours sharp!"  
  
****  
  
Nineteen hundred hours rolled by and everyone was assembled into the hanger as ordered. All fourteen of the Slayers were there, along with the Strategose, Dilandau, and Kat. Dilandau paced in front of his Slayers, who were lined up in front of their guymelefs.  
  
"I want perfection in this mission. I want to see you all working your best, fighting and executing orders perfectly. I expect nothing less. Those who are worthy of being Dragon Slayers will come back alive with little or no injury. Those with serious injuries or who are dead will not be brought back." He stopped pacing and looked at them. "Understood? Then get into your guymelefs!"  
  
Everyone obeyed orders. Kat followed Dilandau over to his red guymelef and stopped him at the base. "Are you sure you want to lead this?" She asked him quietly.  
  
"Of course, I haven't denied the position to led one of these in a long time, and I don't intend to start now."  
  
"Right. I'll be near, if you need me you know what to do."  
  
"I doubt that we'll need you. But it's always a relief to have a guardian angel around."  
  
Dilandau leaned in and kissed Kat good-bye. Then he returned to his guymelef and got in. "Alright, everyone move out! Alpha formation two zero nine three!" He yelled. Kat stepped back as he turned the guymelef around and walked towards to opening of the hanger. AS they reached the edge, he reformed the 'melef into its fly mode and flew off with the other right behind him.  
  
Kat watched silently as the fourteenth unit left the hanger. She really hoped that they would make it back alive. Please Dilandau, call me if you get into trouble. Especially with Jewel with you, she thought as she turned and left the hanger with the Strategose.  
  
****  
  
Kat met with Vince later that evening. "So what did you find?" She asked him as they stood outside.  
  
Vince gave a small smile. "Miss Jewel has refined herself to her quarters. She seems to be suffering from an unknown illness, at least one I can not identify. The symptoms include sweating, constant movement, hallucinations, spasms of pain at random times, increased heart rate, and sudden magical capabilities at random times."  
  
"Good work. Follow her and keep an eye on her. If her eyes glow red and she seems to have an unidentified aura around her, get her away from the group as fast as you can and keep her busy until arrive. Understood?"  
  
Vince nodded. Kat turned and walked back into the castle and Vince turned and walked away from the castle. Once inside the castle Kat went straight to her room and locked herself in it. She sighed and leaned against the door.  
  
She couldn't believe what she was doing. It was insane, dangerous, and most of all endangered lives. "But I have to," she whispered to herself. She quickly changed the codes on the doors from the inside, locked Blue out on the balcony, and then set to work.  
  
She cleared a space in the middle of the room and proceeded to set candles around her in a huge circle. Once they were lit, she took a small pouch from her belt and opened it. In it was a crimson powder; she poured the powder out of the pouch and onto the floor, creating a pentagram around her. Then she took another pouch, filled with a silvery liquid, and poured that in a circle around herself. When she was done with that, she sat down in the middle of the pentagram inside the fiery circle and closed her eyes.  
  
Slowly she tuned out all the sounds around her, focusing only on the sound of her heartbeat. Then as her heartbeat became louder, she slowly chanted the ancient words filled with magic. She could feel it coursing through her, all of the magic the words held within them. She chanted them over and over, listening to her heartbeat and focusing on the words.  
  
After a while a small black hole appeared above her, twisting and circling, growing larger every second. As it grew, the candles began to glow. Once each candle was glowing brightly, a beam of light shot up and connected together in the black hole. A strong wind picked up, twisting and screeching, becoming faster and faster. It swirled around Kat, the candles flickered, the black hole grew more, the beams of light became brighter. But still Kat chanted, raising her voice to be heard over the sounds.  
  
Suddenly she opened her eyes, and whispered one word that wasn't heard. Instantly the beams of light started changing colors rapidly, the black hole flickered, causing lightning to strike within it, and the pentagram and circle also began to glow. Then, within the fiery circle, eight form of light appeared. They were hazy at first, but as things continued they became more defined and more life-like.  
  
Finally the figures of Guimel, Miguel, Dallet, Viole, Chesta, Gatti, Alex, and Nicole appeared. Once they had formed the wind stopped, the candles were extinguished, the beams of light disappeared, and the black hole melted away. Kat stood up and embraced each of the people she had brought back. "Oh, I'm so happy you're all back! I thought you all had died!" She cried, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Hardly!" Nicole said.  
  
"See, when we 'died' Nicole and I were actually transferred to the same place that the Dragon Slayers were being kept, in a black hole in space. The Time Guardian that you have now was there, and he offered to relay a message. And he did. Oh, I'm so happy that we're back!" Alex said, almost in tears.  
  
"I know that I had transferred the Dragon Slayer's souls to the black hole when Zaibach wanted the information about us and they had taken control of them, but I never dreamed that you would be there also! This is working out great! But come on, I need to explain to you why I brought you back." Kat said.  
  
They all sat down and Kat explained to them about coming back in the middle of a battle from the white room. And about Jewel, how she was the Choice. And about the new Slayers and where they were on a mission and about her plan. Instantly everyone agreed. Alex gave Kat a half hug as they all stood to go. "Don't worry, you're doing the right thing," she told her. Kat nodded. I hope so, she thought.  
  
****  
  
"Glad you could make it," Kianna said to the new comers. One was a young girl, about fifteen, with mid-back brown hair, sapphire eyes, 5'3" and a nice figure. She was Ally. The other was an older girl, 5 feet with short dark blue hair, blue-green eyes, very thin, and not much muscle. She was 18 and known as Esse.  
  
"Of course. Always willing to help out our country," Ally said. Suddenly fourteen guymelefs flew over them, making the sky vibrate with their wake. Vixen smiled, braking away from her spot by the fire (she was originally staring into it). "Looks like the hunt is on. Let's move."  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…  
  
Author's Note: Yeah! Alright, chapter 20 is finished! Thanks to all who have reviewed! And the last couple of characters have been picked! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the auditions, I had a lot of fun looking through the bios and picking characters! Now here are the final characters (some didn't make it into the chapter, but will be featured in later chapters).  
  
DarkAni = Vince Draymar  
  
Persephone of Abydos = Esse  
  
Ally = Ally  
  
Katsuhito Sage = Sage Kurai  
  
KajitaniEizan = Eizan Kajitani  
  
Fitz20 = Nausikaa Garufo  
  
Thanks, and review please! 


	21. Characer index

Author's Note: Hey everyone! On request I've made a character info-dex. I know it's hard for people to keep track of these characters, so I hope this will help. I won't include their attitude, I figure you'll figure those out in the story. Thanks!  
  
-ShadowKat  
  
  
  
1.1 Esse: 5 feet, short dark blue hair, blue-green eyes, very thin, very pale, not very muscular. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Sara Kinder: 5'4" with short light blue hair, baby blue eyes, thin yet muscular frame. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Heather Permina: 5'5", dark brown hair that comes just below her shoulder blades, light brown eyes, a pretty face, fragile yet strong looking frame. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Nebula: 5'3", ash blonde hair, hazel-emerald eyes, muscular legs, slim figure, nice upper curves. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Rydia: 5'4", with shoulder length dark brown hair, and crystal clear blue eyes, thin, holds an odd sense of magic within her. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Vixen: 5'6", with shoulder blade length dirty blonde hair and gray eyes that seemed to have tons of other colors mixed in with it, slim, but looks strong. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Cle: 5'9", warrior's stature, little muscle, feeling that she has the power of a thousand warriors within her, holds a sense of power about her, long jet-black hair, crimson eyes. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Cameron Spiel: 5'7", shoulder length black hair, gray eyes, slim form, strangely dark red lips. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Josh: 6'2", short blonde hair, was sinewy, enough muscle for him to fight with. He's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Vince Draymar: 5'7", short brown hair, icy-blue eyes, sleek build. He's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Kianna: sleek and tall, dark pink hair with bright white highlights in it, light pink eyes, high jaw line, thin lips. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Kendall Woodlen: 5"4', with shoulder length black hair with neon green tips, and hunter green eyes. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Xenon DaBona: slightly longer-then shoulder-length light brown hair, 5'7", and cloudy blue-gray eyes. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Ally: 5'4", mid-back light brown hair, good figure, sapphire eyes. She's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Sage Kurai: 5'9", dark blue long wavy hair, golden-tan complexion, golden irises, slight build. She's not loyal to a country, only to herself.  
  
Eizan Kajitani: 5'11", hazel-green eyes, black-brown spiky hair, medium build. He's loyal to Austria.  
  
Lacey Canell: 5'8", long gray hair held back in a ponytail, smoke gray eyes, pale skin, wears light gray robes. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Brandon: 5'8", with brown eyes, thin black framed glasses, kind of stocky, with fluffy chocolate colored hair. He's loyal to Fanellia.  
  
Zaiyane Lunabellek: 5'6" female with long dark brown hair that ends mid- back, red highlights and tips, gray eyes with a tint of red in them, slightly tanned skin, nice frame. She's loyal to Zaibach.  
  
Nausikaa Garufo: Tall, slender, pale as a ghost, violet eyes, deep black ringlets, lips are full and very expressive. She's not loyal to a country, only herself.  
  
Rei Lynn: 5'9" female with short light brown hair with red highlights, fit with an athletic build, light brown eyes with red contacts. She's loyal to Zaibach. 


	22. Battles, Shadows, and Powers

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. I only own Kat, Blue, Jewel, Narisia, the new DS, and Rika. Please ask if you wish to use them.  
  
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Okay, the last of the characters are in this chapter. I hope y'all like it! I'd like to dedicate this story to the following, Lightning Wolf, CrimsonFire, and Shadow. You have truly touched me, and I'm so lucky to have you as friends and fellow authors.  
  
Chapter Twenty-One: Battles, Shadows and Powers  
  
Sage Kurai sighed and shook her head. She was a 5'9" woman with long dark blue wavy hair, golden irises, and a golden-tan complexion. Trained as an assassin, she was the one of the best. Her companion, Nausikaa Garufo, stood beside her. Nausikaa was a tall, slender, pale woman with violet eyes and deep black ringlets-which were swept back from her face-and very full expressive lips. Both were dressed in the most comfortable black clothes.  
  
"They'll never win. There's no advantage. Going into battle with a desire to die." Sage said quietly.  
  
"Stupid people. Think we should interfere? I'd really hate to see so much talent go to waste." Nausikaa asked.  
  
"Does the hawk hunt without reason?"  
  
Nausikaa rolled her eyes. She hated Sage's cryptic responses. "No. So we'll wait until we have a reason to interfere."  
  
Sage gave a small smile. Very good, she thought.  
  
****  
  
Dilandau sighed and put his head in his hand. They had landed in an abandoned field that Zaibach had captured from Austria. They had finally set up camp, after three hours of yelling instructions and slapping Slayers. He hated incompetence, and he hated lip. But that's what he got. His Slayers and Kat's Slayers seemed to be at each other's throats.  
  
A sudden movement behind him caused him to whirl around. He stared into the bushes. For a few seconds nothing moved, and then it happened. Like a flash there was a girl in front of him. Instantly he recognized her as Ally, part of the Fanellian rogue band that were tracking them. He jumped to the side just as she released a blast of water from her hands at him.  
  
"Siege! Everyone, Alpha three zero one nine!" He yelled over his shoulder just as Kianna, Josh, Vixen and Cle jumped from their hiding places and began to attack. Ally raised her hands and muttered something. Instantly a wall of water came up around Dilandau, trapping him within it. He gave a low growl and looked to his side as Ally entered the circle. They both drew their sword and went into fighting positions.  
  
Nebula had teamed up with Xenon, Heather and Lacey. They were defending themselves against Kianna. Lacey was trying to summon an Earth Demon, while Nebula kept Kianna's attacks off Xenon. Another blast of fire shot forth from Kianna's mouth, and Nebula was barely able to deflect it with a blast of lightning. Her powers were dampened, and Nebula wasn't able to use most of her attacks.  
  
"We need that demon now, Lacey!" Xenon yelled as she charged Kianna. Kianna defended herself with a dagger pulled out of her shirt. There was no response from Lacey, but suddenly four seven-feet tall Earth demons appeared around her. She opened her eyes and pointed at Kianna. Three of the demons obeyed her unspoken command, while the other one turned and ran into the battle.  
  
"Get him back!" Nebula yelled at Lacey, while firing a bolt of lightning at Kianna.  
  
"I can't! It's hard enough controlling three of them! I can't extend my powers enough and keep control of all of them."  
  
Nebula growled and released another bolt of lightning.  
  
Heather, Sara, Cameron and Rei were together, fighting Josh and Cle. Cameron had conjured up a small black bubble to keep Cle's water sprite's attacks off them, but was struggling with keeping it up. Rei was transformed into her black dragon. It was very menacing, she stood at twelve feet high, six across. Her wing span was nine feet wide, and she was using it to her advantage. Her red spiked back and hard scales were perfect for reflecting the stray attacks coming towards the others. And her flame-thrower was pushing the attackers back.  
  
Sara was busy battling Josh, and Heather was using small balls of energy to help fend off Cle. "You guys, I can't keep this up!" Cameron yelled, her voice strained.  
  
Rei roared, and began to back up.  
  
"Retreat, we can't win! And you heard Lord Dilandau, Alpha three zero one nine!" Heather yelled.  
  
Cameron dropped her shield and began to run towards the guymelefs with Heather and Sara right behind her. Rei took up the back, keeping the attackers back with balls of fire.  
  
Zaiyane was by the guymelefs when an Earth demon suddenly appeared in front of her. It towered over her, ready to attack. She gasped and unthinkingly created a ball of fire and hit the demon. It screamed and disappeared, which was odd. Must be one of Lacey's, she thought.  
  
Just then Sara, Heather, Cameron and Rei came running up. "Get in the guymelefs and return to base!" Zaiyane yelled as they headed towards their 'melefs. Rei took the time to change back and Zaiyane helped her get into her guymelef. The four of them took off.  
  
It wasn't long before Lacey, followed by Nebula and Xenon, came up. Vixen, Cle, Josh, and Kianna were starting to come at them. "Who else are we missing?" Zaiyane asked as Xenon passed her.  
  
"Oh God, Kendall and Lord Dilandau!" He said, freezing.  
  
Zaiyane pushed him. "Go on! I'll get them!"  
  
Xenon nodded and got into his guymelef. The three of them flew off. Zaiyane did a quick count in her head. Yes, the other Slayers had left first thing, and now the others were gone. Suddenly there was a loud pop, and Kendall and Lord Dilandau appeared. Kendall was supporting a very beaten Lord Dilandau, but there was no sign of how they had gotten there. And from the look of it, they seemed just as surprised as Zaiyane.  
  
Kendall helped Dilandau towards his guymelef and Zaiyane turned towards the attackers. She pulled out her flute and raised it to her mouth. She played a few notes and paused. She listened. Nothing happened, and a fireball came zooming past her.  
  
Suddenly there was a roar that echoed through the field. Off of a guymelef jumped Jewel, in her cat form. Zaiyane, slightly taken aback, moved backwards as Jewel landed in front of her. Jewel glanced behind her at Zaiyane. "Go, now!" She said. And then attacked.  
  
Zaiyane turned and got into her guymelef as fast as she could, and flew off right behind Kendall and Lord Dilandau. Jewel made sure they were gone before backing off of Josh. She stood and looked at all of her victims. "Stop fighting me, I'm not here to fight," she said.  
  
Kianna seemed taken aback. She extinguished the fireball in her hand and wiped the blood from her mouth. "Oh?"  
  
"I am with Zaibach, but I am not loyal to them."  
  
Josh snorted.  
  
Jewel narrowed her eyes at him. "I am here to ask of your help. You want to attack Zaibach and get back your precious king. I am in Zaibach, and I want them gone. We can work together."  
  
"How do we know you are not tricking us, like the spider and the fly?" Cle asked as Ally came up.  
  
"Because I do not share Zaibach's plans. I am not in it because I want to make Gaea a better place. I am only there because they train me and keep me. If you help me, then I'll help you."  
  
"How?" Ally asked.  
  
"First I'll help you attack Zaibach. And then you'll help me, by asking your king to give me a temple of my choice, and a few soldiers. That's all I ask."  
  
"Reasonable. But what do you want with the temple and soldiers?" Josh asked fiercely.  
  
Jewel looked at him. "Simply to pay my debts to my God."  
  
Kianna remained silent for a few seconds. "Alright, we'll help you. Contact us with this when you need us."  
  
She threw Jewel a small compact disk. Jewel caught it and opened it. It had a small circular screen and a pad. She looked up at the group, only to find that they were gone. She gave a sly smile. Yes, they would work perfectly.  
  
****  
  
Kat was walking down the corridors when suddenly the alarm went off. "Incoming wounded, ready in the Medical Bay!" Nicole's voice shouted. Instantly Kat's fear came rising up within her. Jewel had done it. She turned and ran into the Medical Bay.  
  
She got there just as the wounded were coming in. Zaibach soldiers were carrying some Slayers, while others were walking in. That's when she saw him. Dilandau was being carried in on a stretcher, with Kendall by his side. He looked terrible, huge bruises were forming al over him, his uniform was ripped, he had cuts all over him and he was bleeding badly.  
  
"Get him over to bed 12!" She yelled at the medics. She went over to Kendall. She looked bad also. "Go, bed 3 is ready for you. We'll take it from here," she told her. Kendall nodded and walked off.  
  
Alex and Nicole came running in. Viole, Miguel, Chesta, and Dallet also came. "Dallet, you help Nicole and I with Dilandau, bed 12! Viole, treat Heather, Sara, Zaiyane and Xenon! Miguel, Chesta, you get the rest! If anyone else comes in, assign them to patients! Let's go people!" Kat shouted. She, Nicole and Dallet all went over to Dilandau.  
  
"Oh God, this is bad," Dallet muttered.  
  
"Let's get to it. Nicole?" Kat asked.  
  
"Nicole nodded. She closed her eyes and remained still. Dallet tied a surgeon mask over her mouth and nose, and he gave Kat one. Once the masks were in place, Kat handed out the surgeon shirts and gloves. She put on a shirt and then did the same with Nicole, and put on her gloves and Nicole's. Then they waited for Nicole.  
  
She opened her eyes. "Broken leg, torn muscles all over, fractured ribs, shattered his shoulder, broken collarbone, huge sword cut, it ripped some of his internal organs, and he has a mild concussion." She said.  
  
"Alright, let's get this done people." Kat said, and then set to work.  
  
Five hours later Dallet, Kat, Viole and Nicole all pulled off their bloody gloves. They had called in Viole once they had begun surgery. It had taken them a long time, hours of precise work, dangerous chances, and very few words exchanged, but they had been able to save Dilandau's life. Kat was shaken, and she was having trouble removing her shirt.  
  
So many times they had come dangerously close to losing him, and twice they thought they had. She was thankful that he was going to make a full recovery, but she was angry at the person who had caused him this pain. Who could've been good enough to get more then a scratch on him, let alone almost killing him?  
  
Just then Nicole came over and helped Kat take off the surgeon shirt and mask. "Kat, I'll take you back to your room. We'll clean up," she said quietly.  
  
Kat only nodded her head.  
  
They walk back to Kat's room was quiet, no words spoken. Kat could feel Nicole's saddened and worried eyes on her the whole way, but she refused to speak. And Nicole respected that. The walk came to an end all to soon. Kat stood at her door for a second before entering. She quietly said good-night to Nicole and closed the door.  
  
Blue watched her from his perch on Kat's bed and she changed and got into bed. Sensing that his master was troubled, he came over to her and laid next to her. Kat turned on her side and hugged him as she began to cry into his soft neck.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…  
  
Author's Note: Well, how'd y'all like it? Please review and tell me what you thought! Oh yeah, I may leave fanfiction.net soon. I don't really want to explain my reasons, but I have a feeling I will leave. This is probably going to be my last fic that I ever write. If I do leave, half of everything will go to CrimsonFire, because she's the most awesome writer I've ever known and a great friend and fellow author. The other half will go to Lightning Wolf, a truly wonderful author, wonderful friend, and a great person. Well, thanks for reading!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	23. A Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. I only own Kat, Jewel, Narisia, the new DS, Blue and Rika. If you wish to use any of my characters, please ask me first.  
  
Author's Note: Well peeps, it's coming to an end. Yes, the final battle upon them, my characters will find a new will inside of them to keep going. And since I have such wonderful reviewers and readers, I've decided to stay on ff.net. After all, what happened can't hold me back from giving ff.net stories, can it? No, the opinion of my readers means too much to me, I realize. And I promise that I shall never again try to force myself to leave ff.net. I thank everyone. Now, enjoy that chapter!  
  
Chapter Twenty-Two: A Battle  
  
Kat stressed and sweated, but she wasn't enough. She couldn't keep them away; she couldn't defeat them. They came, surrounded her, and she gave up. A Protector killed in the battle. The Protector that gave up without a fight, the one that lost everything in one moment. She deserved what came.  
  
But did she? A new power and voice tore at her soul, nagging and begging for acceptance. What did she deserve? A face emerged from the shadows, haunted and pale. Eyes flashed before her, lips mimicked her. Lights blinded her, and venom paralyzed her. Helpless and alone, not deserving but getting. It was a hole of despair, yet a haven of warmth. In one question, what was to come of her?  
  
One simple answer, one simple clue, one simple solution. It was crazy, complex things unraveled down to the simplest things. Mind boggling! How annoying, devastating, how idiotically hilarious. And to think that the world moved around that one question, that one solution. To think that everything depended on it. What a waste of time. Of effort, or movement.  
  
Kat awoke with a racing heart. What an odd dream, she thought. She couldn't quite… Wait, that was it! She jumped out of bed and ran to the Medical Bay. Once there, she went to a separate room on the side. The room was small and white, with only a few machines in it, a bed, and a small bathroom. The lights were dimmed enough so people could still see but be able to sleep. "Dilandau?" Kat whispered hesitantly.  
  
"You might as well turn on the lights. There's no way in hell I'm going to be able to sleep any ways."  
  
Kat ignored the last part and moved towards the bed where her husband laid. He was coming along fast, his face still looked like a blender but his more serious wounds were healing nicely. "I figured it out! Well, I didn't really figure it out, it came to me in a dream. Oh, you should've seen it. It was-"  
  
"Kat."  
  
"Okay. Look, the one answer that we're looking for lies in Jewel. Jewel and only Jewel. We need to get that answer from her."  
  
"How?"  
  
"By now we all know she's not herself-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's changed, she's more aggressive, more ambitious, more deadly. Everyone senses it. She killed a random soldier-not one of your Slayers- because he didn't get her what she wanted. So now that we all know that, it comes down to one thing. She wants something, and I know what it is. And how she's going to do it."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Next month is the full moon, and the twentieth yellow moon. One that day the choice was to take power. So, what does Jewel need for the ceremony?"  
  
"The Fanellian Dragon Temple and a few willing soldiers."  
  
"Right. And how does she get it?"  
  
Dilandau's eyes narrowed. "By striking a deal with the viper himself. Or in this case, themselves."  
  
****  
  
It was a hard month on all Slayers. Everyone had to pitch in extra to get everything ready for the upcoming battle. The Protectors and the older Slayers organized and trained everyone, making sure they were fully prepared. But, usually it would be easy to prepare for something, but not as easy when you have the viper in your nest. Everything must be kept quite from Jewel, don't let her suspect anything.  
  
And amazingly, that's just what happened. No one spilled anything, and Jewel herself didn't seem to think anything was amiss… It was going perfectly. Too perfectly.  
  
"Ever get the feeling that things are just too perfect around here?" Alex asked as she and Dallet were patrolling the corridors late at night. It was orders to go in shifts, everything had to be secure.  
  
"All the time since we've been training."  
  
"I don't like it."  
  
"'Lex, you don't like anything. Everything seems too suspicious for you."  
  
"That's what you think."  
  
Suddenly Alex paused. She strained her hearing, but couldn't find the noise again.  
  
"You're getting to jumpy, Alex. You need to relax, unwind. Take a vacation-"  
  
Dallet didn't get to finish. Alex put her hand over his mouth, and pulled him into the shadows with her. "Shut up, unless you want to die."  
  
They remained quiet, not one breathed. Suddenly there was the sound Alex had heard. Click, click, click. The sound of boots on the tile floor. Alex's eyes narrowed. 'Kat, get down here. Dallet and I are near the fifteenth corridor, and there's someone here. We may have company,' Alex spoke mentally to Kat. She could feel Kat's weariness rise. 'Coming,' she thought back.  
  
"Kat's coming. We have to hold off whoever it is," Alex muttered in Dallet's ear.  
  
"But.."  
  
Alex didn't wait for an answer. She jumped out of her spot and confronted the sounds. She was repaid for her actions with blast of energy. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Alex yelled as she was hit, and flew back right into the wall. Her body made an imprint in the wall and she fell to the floor.  
  
Dallet jumped out of his hiding spot and faced the attacker. His eyes widened and he almost choked, it couldn't be! There, standing in front of him, golden eyes alight with an inner fire, was the lavender haired beauty of his dreams. She stared at him with quiet eyes but a pleading spoke out from within her.  
  
Just then Kat phased through the wall by Dallet and came to a halt in front of him. "NO!" Dallet yelled as suddenly Kat's hands exploded with black energy.  
  
"Dark Moon, Dark Star, Dark Spirit, I call upon you to take this demon away from us. Dark Spirit, Moon, Star, I call upon you, give me your power and wisdom, and we will live together as one!" Kat yelled.  
  
Her powers stretched outwards and enveloped Dallet's lavender haired beauty. There was a crash of thunder, and a bright flash of light. Dallet covered his eyes from the light. He could've sworn he heard screaming…  
  
The light suddenly disappeared, and Dallet took a chance and looked. His lavender haired beauty was still there, looking the same but a slight shadow seemed to cover her face. Kat was on her knees on the floor doubled over and breathing heard. She moaned once and Dallet saw the pool of blood quickly forming around her.  
  
"Who… Who are you?" Dallet asked.  
  
"Rika Avalon."  
  
****  
  
There, she was back. She was back and…. Wait, what was that? Jewel frowned. She… No, it couldn't be! No! She had it… She could defeat her. No, I can't fail! I must continue!  
  
Jewel stood up from her bed and left her room. She would take care of this, once and for all. The battle begins now.  
  
****  
  
Kat looked around at the assembled. Dilandau, Alex, Nicole, Rika, Dallet, Viole, Miguel, Chesta, Gatti, Guimel, Zaiyane, Xenon, Kendall, Lacey, Cameron, Sara, Heather, Rei, Quin, Eloy, Damain, Del, Leroy, and David. "Alright, let's go. Sensors have picked Jewel up on the main field. Good luck to all of you, and I hope I see you at the end. God and Gaea be with you all," she said. Everyone nodded and walked off to their guymelefs.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC….  
  
Author's Note: Alright, there's the next to last chapter. Cliffhangers, I know. Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. I'm a terrible person. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed me, you've put me over a 100 reviews! Thanks! Alright, next chapter, expect it to come soon! Oh, and some get killed off in it, don't kill me for it. I warned everyone at the beginning that they might get killed off. Okay, thanks.  
  
-ShadowKat 


	24. Final Fantasy... Or a Battle Cry?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. I only own Kat, Alex, Nicole, Blue, Rika, the new DS, Jewel and Narisia. If anyone would wish to use them, please ask me first.  
  
Chapter Twenty-Three: Final Fantasy… Or a Battle Cry?  
  
The heat raged and the fire burned. Thing weren't going good, for either sides. First of all, the Dragon Slayers had met Jewel and her small band of bandits at dawn on the empty field of Fanellia. It was only seven miles in front of the temple that Jewel was going to use.  
  
At first it was a simple attack, Rika, Rei, Zaiyane-Rei in her dragon form, Rika flying over the battle and Zai in her phoenix form-and Lacey in the front line. Then it was the rest of the Dragon Slayers, the Protectors, Nebula, and Cameron in the middle line, 24 feet from the others. And in the very last line, 24 feet from the middle, were Kendall, Xenon, Sara, and Heather. The point was to protect the more talented non- magical people from harm, so if everything goes down hill they could come in.  
  
On the other side there was Cle, Kianna, Ally and a new person wearing Austrian armor (5'11", hazel-green eyes, black-brown spiky hair, medium build) stood in the front. He was Eizan Kajitani, the best Austrian warrior. Twenty four feet away was Brandon, Vixen, Rydia, and Josh. And then, the last 24 feet back, was Esse and Jewel. Everyone was ready, and the first attack came.  
  
Zai and Rei took to the air and did aerial attacks, most keeping out of the battle but still getting damage. Lacey did her best to use her manipulation of the elements to keep most attacks off the others, but she was getting worn out. She also had a few demons on the field, attacking the attackers. Nebula, Cameron and the Protectors moved forward, using their powers to try and scatter the attackers. The bandits were pulling their powers together and creating powerful attacks.  
  
Finally Nebula, Nicole and Alex came together and started using Nicole's ice bolts as a lightning rod. Their combined attacks created a powerful attack that succeed to scatter most of the bandits. Already the male Dragon Slayers (AN: not the original DS, people. The new ones) were struck down and either dying or dead. Cameron and Kat were behind a little, using their combined powers to fire powerful jolts of black magic and energy at coming attackers.  
  
Sara, Heather, Xenon and Kendall were spread out; taking on the people that got through the defensive. And Dilandau was with them, striking down opponents like flies. It looked like they were going to win… Until…  
  
"No!" Kat yelled, frustrated. A whole new army had just arrived, all Fanellian troopers. 'More warriors. Hang on people, we're almost through. Go with plan B!' She thought to all of her troops. There was a mutual understanding. They knew what they needed to do. Nebula, Alex, and Nicole moved back, allowing Heather, Sara, Xenon, Kendall, the original Dragon Slayers, and Dilandau to take the main field. The rest with powers were to concentrate on breaking up the others, and protecting fellow teammates.  
  
"Ungh," Cameron moaned as she hit the ground. Kat reached down and pulled her back to her feet while blasting off an attacking soldier. 'Everyone switch to swords, give your powers a break. If you're tired, fall back!' She thought. She could tell everyone was worn, it was a long battle and they didn't have very much power.  
  
Once Cameron was able to steady herself, Kat took main field with the rest. As she, Dilandau, and the others sliced through the troops, the others retreated to take a quick breather. Nicole decapitated another soldier and whirled around. That's when she noticed that Jewel wasn't with the battle. "Kat!" She screamed since Kat was near her. "Jewel, she's not here! She's gone to the temple!"  
  
Kat nodded and peeled away from the thickness of the battle. She made her way through the battle, fighting her way out and jumping over dead bodies. The field was extremely slick, so much blood was being spilled it was unthinkable. Total destruction. Massacre, death, it was sickening.  
  
Rika, who was doing a fly over, saw Kat peel away from the battle and went after her. She flew over Kat, making sure that her path was clear. They both knew what they had to do… Now if only Time would let them.  
  
Jewel stood in the middle of the temple. It was big, empty, with only a few very old statues and sacred tapestries. There, in the center, was a small stage. She stood on it, looking above her at the skylight in the celing.  
  
She was ready for the ceremony. There were her willing soldiers, already dead. Their blood had been drained and it was awaiting in a bowl. Now all she needed was…  
  
Suddenly the temple door flew open and in ran Kat and the Fate Rika Avalon. Jewel smirked and her eyes changed from a blue-green to a black. Even her irises were black, no pupils shown either. "I'm happy you could join me, Protector, Fate. I've been waiting for you, you see," she said.  
  
Kat growled deep in her throat. "You can't have Jewel. She's too precious to waste on scum like you!"  
  
"I seems Jewel thought the opposite."  
  
Suddenly Jewel raised her hand, palm facing Rika and Kat. Instantly the door flew shut and they were thrown backwards into them. She grinned and cracked her neck. "Strongest steal known to Gaea. How do you like it?" She asked evilly. Kat and Rika didn't have time to respond before they were picked up and bashed into the door again.  
  
I can't stand much more of this! Kat screamed inside her head as she was bashed harder. She glanced at Rika. She seemed totally unfazed. Kat wished she looked as good as Rika did right then. Finally, making up her mind, Kat forced herself to gather her powers and propel herself forward just as Jewel was pushing her back. The reaction was Jewel to be thrown back by her own powers and Kat to shot forward.  
  
She rolled and came up in a crouching position. "As a Protector, I won't let you take over Gaea or Jewel!"  
  
"But you can only have one!" Jewel yelled as she came up. She raised her hands above her head and summoned a whirlpool of fire above her head. "I will choose which one you get!"  
  
The fire crashed and flames shot forth, hitting Kat and sending her reeling. Rika rushed forward at the same time, using her sword to slice through the flames (the blade was made of pure energy and could cut through anything) to get to Kat. She reached Kat and grabbed her as she went reeling past. She then constructed a time bubble around them, speeding up their atoms and protecting them from the flames. The flames disappeared and the time bubble disappeared. Rika stood, looking totally calm, holding an unconscious Kat in her arms.  
  
With the blink of an eye, a small bubble formed around Kat and she disappeared. "A single Protector might've been easy to defeat with your powers, but let's see how you stand up to a Fate," she challenged.  
  
Jewel smirked and called forth her whirlpool of fire again. This time Rika was ready. As the flames charged her, she raised her sword and vanquished them with it. Jewel growled and raised her left hand high into the air. A pool of energy form around it and her eyes flashed. She glared at Rika, took aim, and the lowered her hand.  
  
The energy shot forth from her hand and headed straight towards Rika. Rika barely had time to create a time bubble in front of her before the shot hit. But still the attack was able to get through and force her back a few feet. As she flew through the air, Rika caught herself and dug her feet into the ground, bringing herself to a complete stop, only feet away from Jewel.  
  
"Enough hiding behind powers! Let's settle this the only way!" Rika yelled.  
  
Jewel's smirk grew. "Let's." She drew her sword and the real battle was on.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Okay, here's the chapter! I hope y'all like it! Thanks for reading! And please review; tell me what you think so far! Alright… Two more chapters until the end! I'll make the last two longer, since those are the most important ones. Thanks!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	25. Tower of Light

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. Only Kat, Jewel, Narisia, Blue, the new DS, and Rika. If you wish to use them, please ask me first!  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four: Tower of Light  
  
The battle was rough. Hard, tough… And both sides were losing. Already few were dead, one the bandit's side Brandon had died while using his powers to call upon the dragons of the land. He died by Nebula's attack, but managed to give the bandits a boost by calling forth twelve Earth dragons.  
  
Esse had also perished, but not by will. She was helping an injured Kianna back up when she was saw a stray bolt of black magic shooting towards Kianna. She threw herself in front of her and took full blast of the blow, ending her life but saving another's.  
  
One the Zaibach side Sara had died while defending Cameron, due for a violent mood swing she had viciously killed the attacking soldier who had threatened Cameron's life. Xenon was almost ready to all, if it hadn't been for Rei who had killed Xenon's attacker before he could strike.  
  
Sage and Nausikaa watched from a distance. Sage could tell that her partner was getting anxious to join in on the fighting. She got that look in her eyes… "Is it time yet?" Nausikaa demanded.  
  
Sage shifted her gaze towards the battlefield. Both sides would lose if they didn't interfere. She gave a slight nod, and instantly Nausikaa was off. Sage smiled and followed her partner.  
  
Nebula ran forth a deflected a blast of water that was heading for Heather. "I don't see how we can keep this up," She panted, sweat dripping down her face. They were all sweaty, and all were making more and more fatal mistakes.  
  
"Now I see what Kat meant by knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses," Heather said as she got off the ground. She turned and saw Lacey struggling with her magic. Lacey was probably the one who was suffering the most in the battle. They were constantly calling on her to summon up demons or use her manipulation of the elements.  
  
"Maybe… Maybe if everyone who had elemental powers attacked together, we could take out some of the bandits. Right now, even though we have the advantage, they are definitely more experienced and are holding on longer then we are."  
  
Nebula nodded. She looked for around for the people closest to her. Alex and Nicole were fending off Kianna with their powers only feet away, but the others were no where near her. Nebula gave a low growl. She summoned up a huge ball of lightning, and shot it at Kianna. Kianna wasn't expecting another attack, and the shot hit its mark perfectly. Kianna fell to the ground, knocked out.  
  
"Alex, Nicole! Gather the others with elemental powers! I have an idea!" She yelled at them. They both nodded and split up.  
  
"Okay, so now what?" Nebula asked Heather.  
  
"Well, I'll gather those who can fight, and the rest with other powers. We'll put them into groups. We'll stand out in the open, and wait for the bandits to come at us. Then we release our attacks. While most are stunned, the last of us will run forth and take out any that are still awake."  
  
Nebula nodded. "Good plan, let's go."  
  
They split up and ran around the field, fighting or simply dodging their way around people. As Heather was running around, Rydia suddenly appeared in her way. Instantly Heather drew her sword and got ready for an attack. But none came. Confused, Heather looked at Rydia more carefully. "What do you want?"  
  
"I'm not here to fight you, or any of the other Zaibachians. I'm here to help you fight."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"I'm an undercover agent for Zaibach. It was my job to get into the bandit's group, get their plans, and then report to Zaibach. Since then I've been with the bandits, reporting whatever I find to Lord Dilandau only. I'm only in the battle because it would've been suspicious to back out of it. Believe me, I'm here to help."  
  
Heather eyed Rydia suspiciously. Finally she sighed. "Well, I don't entirely trust you, but any help is better then no help. Come on, follow me."  
  
Rydia nodded and the two ran off. Rydia proved herself loyal to Zaibach by mercilessly killing anyone who stood in their way, but yet leaving all soldiers of Zaibach out of harm's way, even protecting some. Finally the groups were gathered and ready.  
  
Alex, Nicole, Lacey, Nebula, and Zaiyane (now back in her human form) were in one group. To the right of them was Cameron, Heather, Rydia, and Rei (also in her human form). In the back of them was Kendall, Xenon, and the rest of the Dragon Slayers. Their plan was working, since the others were coming forth. Finally when the bandits gave the yell to attack, it happened. All the elementals struck out, combining their attacks and getting most of the bandits in their blast. Then the magical group struck out, combining their magic to create a huge shock wave of magic that knocked everyone who was not loyal to Zaibach back fifty feet.  
  
Then the rest of the group rush forward, quickly taking out anyone who was still moving. In the end, all were blacked out except for Cle, who had died in the first elemental attack. None of them noticed the two figures hastily moving away from the battle.  
  
Sage and Nausikaa stopped running when they were under the cover of the trees. Both had sustained injuries, slight ones but still injuries. Breathing hard, they attempted to catch their breath. "Well, that was certainly fun. I never imagined they would've been able to do that," Nausikaa said.  
  
"True. But I suggest we get out of here before the real battle starts."  
  
Nausikaa agreed and they ran again.  
  
All of the Dragon Slayers stood around, glancing at the battlefield. It was torn up, bloody, and bodies littered it. All in all, it was disgusting. "I can't believe we actually did that," Kendall breathed.  
  
"It's nothing much. We've seen worse, mush worse." Nicole consoled.  
  
"All part of the life of being a Dragon Slayer." Viole agreed.  
  
Suddenly a pillar of light shot up from someone in front of them, shaking the ground and making most fall. "What WAS THAT?" Cameron yelled, shocked.  
  
Alex glanced to where the light was coming from. "Has anyone seen Jewel or Kat? Even Dilandau, Rika or Dallet for that matter?"  
  
No one replied, they hadn't seen them since the battle.  
  
Miguel cursed loudly and ran forth. "They've gone to the temple!"  
  
"I bet Kat saw Jewel take off and followed her, with Rika following Kat. Then Lord Dilandau must've noticed that Kat and Rika were missing and taken Dallet with him to go to the temple!" Xenon said.  
  
They all ran for the temple, following the light as their guide.  
  
Rika pushed herself off the ground and wiped the blood coming from her mouth. She had been battling Jewel sword to sword for an hour, but when Jewel had managed to actually break her sword, they had gone hand to hand. Both had injuries, but Rika had to admit, she was coming out on the bottom of this fight.  
  
That's when Dallet and Dilandau had arrived, with Kat in tow. Kat still seemed disoriented, but she was doing her part. Together they had been fighting Jewel, until she had opened the portal. Now there was a fifty-foot tall, teen feet wide, beam of light in the middle of the temple. Jewel stood in front of it, crackling gleefully.  
  
Rika heard Dallet curse as he picked her up. She silently smiled, he was so protective of her. "Now do you see? Do you see that you can't possibly defeat me? I am invincible, no one can even touch me! And now, the Powers will give me their powers, and I will rule Gaea!" Jewel yelled.  
  
Rika glanced at Kat. Kat caught her eye and nodded. "Infinium Flight!" She yelled. A huge ball of black energy formed in front of her. She put her hands on either side of it, not touching it. She closed her eyes and raised her face to the sky. The ball began to surge, black electricity crackling over it.  
  
Rika then disappeared from Dallet's arm, reappearing next to Kat. She put her hand on Kat's shoulder and closed her eyes. Suddenly both began to glow a brilliant white. Jewel watched this act with a note of amusement on her face. But then she began to look a little scared as both kept glowing brighter and brighter.  
  
The black ball got bigger and bigger as both glowed brighter. Finally both opened their eyes. And as they spoke, their voices were one, not two, but one mixed together with another. "With the Heavens, for the Spirit, before the Goddess, you will not succeed!" They said.  
  
Then the ball was released. It shoot forth towards Jewel at incredible speed, so fast that she had no time to deflect it. It hit her squarely. As they fell back, time seemed to almost stop. Everything was going on in slow motion. As Jewel hit the ground, time completely stopped.  
  
*~~*  
  
TBC…  
  
Author's Note: Okay, how was it? Yeah yeah, the little 'with the Heavens' thing was really, really bad. But I'm writing it at 7:30 in the morning (I've been up and writing since 5). Alright, last chapter coming soon! Yes, I'm an unfair, totally evil person to leave you at such a major cliffhanger like that. Don't worry, next chapter is being written right now. It'll be up soon, I promise! Please review! Thanks!  
  
-ShadowKat 


	26. Angels Are Guarding Me

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. I only own Rika, Kat, Alex, Nicole, Blue, Jewel, Narisia and the new DS. Please ask me if you wish to use them.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Hey, this is the last chapter of Shadow Warrior! Yes, the story is coming to a halt. I'm so happy that this story has been such a success! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read this story!  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-Five: Angels Are Guarding Me  
  
Time had completely stopped. The air didn't move; the world didn't turn, and the atoms didn't even stir. Yet one person stood alone in a room filled with upcoming death. She was Rika Avalon. She looked about her; she had successfully stopped time at the moment before Jewel's death. Why had she done it? Simply to try and undo it.  
  
The death that was to take place here, today, right now, need not happen. If only they had gotten to her sooner… But they had tried that already. It hadn't worked. So now they were here, in the same place she had seen them. The Dark Moon Daughter had handled herself well, but if only she knew what was to come as Rika did. If only it was in her power to change it… No, it wasn't. Rika had gone back to this moment a thousand times, looking for an answer to the question she had.  
  
But no matter how many times she came back, no matter how many situations she created or disposed of, she could not change what Destiny had in store. She looked around one last time. She walked over to her lover, Dallet. In one time they had been in great love, not willing to lose the other without reason. Willing to die just to keep their love going.  
  
It was going to be destroyed. They would die, and their love could never fully develop. She would have to leave him with a memory of her… She could live on, but he couldn't. Surely if there was another way she would take it, another path to walk down, another situation she hadn't thought of. But the choices were gone; it was out of her hands now.  
  
Tears began to slowly slide down her face. No, she couldn't lose him like this! No, she couldn't let it happen! Not this way, not like this! Couldn't… Couldn't…. The word echoed inside her head like a bell. Couldn't… There was no way she could stop it. Rika Avalon, the girl with the powers of any Fate, had to submit to Destiny. The one thing she couldn't control… The one thing she wanted so badly to protect and keep, to treasure and to love, would be ripped away from her.  
  
Couldn't… Couldn't… She reached out and gently stoked Dallet's skin. So cold, yet warm. Smooth but faint, like it was going to slip out of her grasp in seconds, forever out of reach. Couldn't… How could this happen? Couldn't… She wouldn't be able to stop it. Couldn't… She would rather die then let him go. Couldn't… The word closed in on her like darkness. The one thing she couldn't escape for all eternity would haunt her for the rest of her life. Couldn't…  
  
She placed a kiss on Dallet's forehead, a small good-bye. She began to turn around, to resume time, to die once again, but she stopped. Hesitated, frozen with one last wish. One that only she could fulfill. She turned back and stared at the frozen figure of her love. He didn't move, only stared straight ahead with the same look she had seen a thousand times on his face. She went up to him and kissed him one last time on the lips.  
  
"Good-bye, sweet Knight. Forever will our love be," she whispered against his sweet lips. She turned around and walked back to her exact spot next to Kat. Dare she risk another look at him before it happens? She bowed her head and closed her eyes, saying a quiet but desperate prayer. She opened her eyes and time once again resumed.  
  
****  
  
Kat watched as Jewel hit the ground. She remained still, totally still. She couldn't believe it… Another gone…  
  
Short lived. Jewel sat up, her eyes blank. "Not yet, I go you go!" She screamed, her voice not her own. An arm suddenly came ripping out of her chest. Long and spindly, dark red in color with small spike all over it, it shot forth towards Kat. It's long, think fingers were agile and extremely talented at finding its target, and the long, sharp, twisted claws at the end of each one proved fatal.  
  
It was quick. Within milliseconds it had attached itself to Kat's throat, cutting off her air supply and ripping open her neck. Shocked, Kat tried to claw away at it, but it proved pointless. Blood began to soak her clothes, spilling freely from her neck. Her eyes began to roll up into her head.  
  
Just then Nicole and Alex burst into the room. They saw Kat and were immediately by her side. But yet, they did not see the other two exact arms rip out of Jewel's chest and shoot forth. The hands attached themselves to Nicole and Alex's necks, ripping them open also. Both struggled like Kat, but both lost. Blood splattered everywhere, and their clothes were soaked.  
  
The rest of the Dragon Slayers entered on the scene, and froze. Paralyzed with the fear of the site before them, they stood staring, unable to move. Just then a figure leapt from the shadows. A male, 5"7'. Short brown hair, icy-blue eyes, and a sleek build wearing a black trench coat with the Dragon Slayer shoulder pads on top of it. He pulled out his sword and came up behind Jewel. Everyone recognized him as Vince Draymar, the talented assassin for Zaibach.  
  
Kat, struggling to breathe, looked at Alex and Nicole. They shared a mutual thought. As if in slow motion, Vince pulled back his sword and swung. The blade sliced through the air, smoothly, deadly. A second before steal met flesh, Nicole, Alex and Kat all released their energy.  
  
It happened so fast, the normal eye could not catch it. The Protectors glowed, then stopped as the glowing shot up the arms and into Jewel. At the exact moment Jewel was hit with the energy, the blade cut through her first layer of skin and hastily made its way through the rest of the skin, muscle veins and bone.  
  
As the sword came through, and Jewel's disembodied head began to fall, her body emitted a flash. The flash was bright, blinding everyone. It seemed to stay bright for hours, day, months at a time. It seemed lengthy, long, stretched out. But in time, it was only five seconds long.  
  
There was the sound of lightning and thunder as the light disappeared. When it disappeared, and everyone opened their eyes, Jewel was no where to be seen. All that was left of her was some ashes, and the arms that had sprouted from her chest were still attached to Kat, Alex and Nicole, who were laying lifeless on the floor.  
  
Vince sheathed his sword and looked as Miguel, Chesta, and Dilandau all rushed forward to help the three Protectors. Dallet turned and looked at Rika, who was still standing where she had been before. She seemed strangely out of place… He slowly walked up to her. As he reached her side, he realized that she was crying. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She buried her face in his chest.  
  
Dallet watched as the three forms of the Protectors where tended to by their husbands. Miguel was over Alex, his hands shaking so bad that he could barely shake her. Chesta was sobbing over Nicole, shaking her over and over again. And Dilandau was bent close over Kat and Dallet wasn't sure what he was doing.  
  
Dilandau gather Kat into his arms. Her neck was torn open, and she was losing blood very fast. He turned around and looked at his group. This would take time.  
  
****  
  
Three Months Later…  
  
Rika stood next to Dallet, staring out a window. It had taken time, but she had finally told him everything. He had understood. They were to be married in the next two months. She sighed and fingered the ring on her finger. She had had it ever since she could remember, a gift from her time in the future, you could say. It was her ring from Dallet, and she never took it off. She gave a small smile as she watched the scene below them.  
  
The new Dragon Slayers had adapted nicely and they were a complete team. Rydia was also a Dragon Slayer; she really was an undercover agent for Zaibach. The bandits had been returned to Fanellian, escaped the battle once they had all come around and the Dragon Slayers weren't back yet.  
  
The Protectors had come close to death, but had not lost the battle. They were still recovering, still very weak. But at least they were out of the Medical Bay. Alex was sitting under a tree, reading while Miguel sparred with Zaiyane close by. Nicole was leaning against Chesta talking a walk, and Dilandau was being himself, over protective of Kat.  
  
Ever since she had almost died in his arms, he had made sure she had taken her medicine, rested, ate and didn't put herself in any harm or stress. Although Miguel and Chesta had done the same for Nicole and Alex, Dilandau was still fussing over Kat and it was starting to get on her nerves. Right now Kat was lying on the grass staring up at the perfectly blue sky with Dilandau close by, keeping an eye on her.  
  
Rika chuckled softly. She had told the Dragon Slayers that she had been the one to put dampeners on their powers. It was crucial that she did it, and she apologized to them. They accepted it and everything as fine, but the dampener was still in place for their own good. Everything would be alright, it wouldn't turn out like the last thousand times she had done it. Things were finally going right for once. And everyone was happy.  
  
  
  
*~~*  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Wow, the last of Shadow Warrior. Amazing! This is my longest story yet, 26 chapters! I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me in this story, and everyone who has read and reviewed it! It means so much to me to see people who really enjoy my work. I feel so happy to see people who like it and like to read it. It makes my life so much happier and it's also people like those who make it worth while to write. Thanks again for everything!  
  
-ShadowKat 


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